Double Trouble
by SpikyFloof
Summary: Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have somehow been turned into children. Can their companions figure out who's behind this and return the brothers to themselves? Or will they have to grow up all over again?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: This was _supposed_ to be a _very_ short story that I wrote for my kids who are huge Inuyasha fans. Of course, it decided not to cooperate and took on a bit of a life of its own. This is my first fan fic, so bear with me while I try to get the hang of this. Reviews, comments, suggestions, constructive criticism are always welcome. Flames will be used to roast marshmallows and make s'mores.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They're the property of Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 1

"Not a bad bit of work if I do say so myself," Inuyasha said. The half-demon was walking down the path, looking pleased with himself. His arms were folded behind his head as he walked. His long silvery hair blew in the breeze and the dog-like ears on top of his head turned to pick up the sounds of the forest they were passing through. He appeared little more than an adolescent boy of about fifteen years of age, dressed all in bright red with a sword at his waist.

"It would have been better if you hadn't practically destroyed the temple in the process of killing that demon," Miroku commented. "You scared all the women away!" The rings on his staff jingled as he walked.

"Pervert!" Sango snapped. She glared at the monk, too far away to slap him.

"Feh, you all keep going on and on about how I should help people and when I do, all you do is complain!" Inuyasha muttered.

"We're not complaining, Inuyasha," Kagome, a fifteen-year old girl from five hundred years in the future said. "It's nice that you're so willing to help out."

"Meh," he said, not mollified by her words, suspecting that she was only complimenting him in order to make him feel better. Her short green skirt swirled around her legs as she picked up her pace and came abreast of him. She gave him a sunny smile. He snorted again but couldn't stay mad when Kagome smiled at him like that.

"He's just mad that he didn't get to wind scar a few buildings down," Shippo put in from where he was riding on Miroku's shoulder.

"Hey! Shut up you little brat!" His arms dropped to his sides as he whirled on the little fox demon.

Kagome took Inuyasha's arm and hooked it through her own before he could take a swipe at the kitsune.

"I think I still have a few cups of instant noodles left," she said. "Leave Shippo alone and I'll make you some tonight."

"You'd better be sure you have noodles," Inuyasha muttered. But his gold eyes brightened and his ears perked up at the thought of having his favorite ninja food for dinner. Kagome shook her head and smiled fondly. Of all the food she had prepared and brought back to the Feudal Era with her for her friends, instant noodles was the one Inuyasha liked the most. At least the others appreciated her efforts, the thought ruefully.

Two hours later they came across a clearing that would be suitable for camping. Miroku and Inuyasha went to collect firewood while Kagome, Sango, and Shippo set up their small camp and went to collect water from a nearby stream. Shortly thereafter, a small fire was burning cheerfully. Kagome heated some water and handed Inuyasha the promised noodles. The half-demon slurped them down noisily, content.

Darkness fell and they all retired for the night. Shippo curled up in Kagome's sleeping bag with her as usual. Sango and Miroku wrapped themselves in their bedrolls. And Inuyasha settled with his back against a large tree, Tessaiga cradled in his arms.

The next morning, Kagome turned over in her sleeping bag and opened her eyes. She caught sight of a red bundle laying on the ground nearby. It looked suspiciously like Inuyasha's clothing.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, surprised that he wasn't hovering over her, demanding breakfast. She sat up when there was no reply. By then, the others were also stirring.

"Where's Inuyasha?" Sango asked, having heard Kagome's inquiry.

"I don't know." Kagome was worried. It was unlike Inuyasha to go wandering off during the night and leaving the group unprotected. She got to her feet and went to the bundle. She gasped as she realized Tessaiga was laying on the ground beside the clothes, which were definitely Inuyasha's.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered fearfully.

Kirara had come over to investigate, sniffing at the red bundle. She began poking at it while the others tried to figure out where Inuyasha had gone. A moment later, the cat jumped backwards, her tails twitching.

"What is it, Kirara?" Sango asked her companion.

Their eyes were drawn to the cloth, which suddenly moved. Kagome stifled a gasp. She knelt down and reached for it as it moved again.

"Be careful," Sango cautioned.

Kagome pulled the cloth aside. A head full of silver hair and puppy ears popped up suddenly. She pulled her hand back in shock.

"In… Inuyasha?"

There was little doubt in any of their surprised minds that this was in deed Inuyasha. The dog like ears were a dead give-away. But now the half-demon appeared to be nothing more than a child of about three or four years old in human terms.

"What happened to you?"

Inuyasha stared at them, his gold eyes wide. He sniffed the air. Kagome started to reach for him but stopped at his low growl.

"Inuyasha, don't you recognize me? Us?"

He sniffed again.

"I don't think he recognizes us," Miroku said softly. "I wonder who could have done this?"

Kagome held her hand out towards Inuyasha as if she was greeting a dog. He sniffed her fingers and wrinkled his nose a bit. He sniffed the air again, turning as if searching for something. His ears twitched, picking up the sounds of the forest.

Then, without warning, he jumped up and ran off into the trees.

"Inuyasha! Come back!" Kagome cried. The forest was full of dangers, especially for a child. A naked child, she realized belatedly. The group took off into the trees after him. Kagome snagged his Robe of the Fire rat up as she ran.

Between Kirara and Shippo's senses they were able to track Inuyasha. And the pup wasn't making any effort to hide his trail. It wasn't long before they stumbled into another clearing in the woods.

When they emerged in the small clearing, they were met with a strange sight. A wingless, two-headed dragon lay in the center. A little green toad-like creature sat nearby, letting loose exclamations of shock and disgust loudly. Kagome recognized him as Jaken, Sesshomaru's servant. And a little girl about eight years old dressed in an orange and yellow kimono belted with a green sash. Rin, a human girl that also traveled with Sesshomaru for reasons none of them had yet figured out. The demon supposedly held a deep hatred for humans.

Speaking of Sesshomaru… Kagome thought nervously, looking around the clearing. She hoped they could gather Inuyasha and leave before the demon lord returned. In his current state, Inuyasha would be completely helpless against his merciless older brother.

"Kagome!" Rin cried, running up to the group. "Something has happened to Lord Sesshomaru! Please help!"

"What's happened, Rin?" Kagome asked kindly. While she held no love for Inuyasha's older half-brother, she didn't have any ill feelings towards Rin. As far as she could tell, the girl was a kind-hearted and friendly child who didn't have a malicious bone in her body. Which made it even stranger that she would travel with Sesshomaru. But Kagome didn't have time to ponder that mystery right now.

"I… I don't know…" Rin said. She looked to be on the verge of tears. She took Kagome's hand and led her to the dragon. Both heads turned to look at them as they approached, the others trailing a short distance behind Kagome and Rin. Apparently deciding they were no threat, it put them back down on the soft grass.

As the neared, Kagome saw that a pile of white silk and dark armor lay beside the dragon. Kagome caught sight of Inuyasha then, snuffling at something in the middle of the pile. "Inuyasha!" she said sternly. The silver head popped up and he stared at her innocently, ears twitching. Her eyes went wide as a moment later, she saw what he had been so interested in. Another head popped up and a second child sat looking at her. Gold eyes regarded her warily. Silver bangs ruffled in the breeze, revealing twin magenta stripes across his cheeks, another across his eyelids, and a purple crescent moon on his forehead.

"I don't believe… It can't be… Sesshomaru?"

A/N: 2/21 - I realized a bit belatedly that Inuyasha's name was misspelled a bunch of times throughout this chapter. I've gone back through and corrected it. Sorry for not catching it before posting.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo joined Kagome by the dragon. They all just stared for several moments at the two children who were clutching each other, staring at the others fearfully. Kagome tried to process what she was seeing. Inuyasha, transformed somehow into a child, clutching at Sesshomaru, also a child. It was like a bizarre dream.

"Is… is everyone else seeing this?" Kagome asked, managing to find her voice again.

"Seeing… not believing!" Sango said.

"This can't be a coincidence," Kagome said. "Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are turned into children at the same time? There's got to be a connection. But what?"

"Maybe we should start with Lady Kaede," Miroku suggested. "She is quite wise and may be able to shed some insight onto what has happened."

"Good idea."

"This is all your fault!" Jaken screeched, starling them. They had forgotten where they were as they looked at the two silver haired children.

"Master Jaken, why would Kagome do this to Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked. "Look at Lord Inuyasha. He's been turned to a child, too!"

"How should I know why this human did such a thing! Undo it at one!"

"We didn't do this," Kagome protested.

"Well who else could it have been? That despicable half-breed Inuyasha has been a thorn in my lord's side for far too long. This is some insidious plot to usurp my mater. I'll not stand idly by!"

The imp's yelling and the subsequent quarrel had frightened the pups, who had shrunk back, each one still holding tight to the other.

"You've frightened Lord Sesshomaru, Master Jaken!" Rin scolded, noticing the pups' distress. She let go of Kagome's hand and climbed over Ah-Un. She knelt down beside the pups that were smaller than she was and smiled, holding out her hands to them. "It's okay, Lord Sesshomaru. Rin will protect you the way you protect me! Lady Kagome and her friends will help find out what happened and make you yourself again. Inuyasha, too!"

Two sets of gold eyes looked at the girl for a long moment. Hesitantly, Sesshomaru inched forward, sniffing the outstretched hands cautiously. He drew back a little but didn't retreat fully. He looked up at her, taking in her easy, friendly smile. Inuyasha too crept forward and sniffed the girl's hands. Apparently deciding that Rin wasn't a threat, the pups hesitantly took her outstretched hands. She beamed with pleasure and stood.

"First thing we should probably… ah… find them something to wear," Sango commented as Rin coaxed them over to the group. Both pups were completely naked, their clothing not having shrunk when they had. As was typical with young children, neither seemed to notice or mind their unclothed state.

At the mention of clothing, Sesshomaru pulled his hand from Rin's and went back to the pile of white silks he had been found in. He picked up his kimono, clutching it possessively to his chest. "Father?" he said plaintively. The gold eyes filled with tears and he sniffed them back. Inuyahsa went to his and patted his shoulder, whining softly.

"Lord Sesshomaru, those are your clothes," Rin said.

The pup stared at her, tears hovering in his eyes and shook his head. "Father's!" he insisted.

Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo traded a concerned look. "I don't think he remembers anything past the age he is now," Kagome said softly. "Same with Inuyasha."

"But why did Inuyasha come running to find him? It's not like he and Sesshomaru are exactly buddies," Shippo said.

"Family," Inuyasha said.

They turned towards him. They had forgotten how good his ears were.

"Pack," Sesshomaru agreed.

"Of course," Sango said. "Inu yokai have a pack mentality. They have the same father so they smell like family to one another. Neither has any memory of being an adult or whatever triggered their animosity."

"Well, let's keep it that way," Miroku said with a warning look at Jaken who had opened his mouth to speak. The imp glared at them but remained silent, recognizing the wisdom of keeping peace and harmony. At least for now.

"Hey!" Shippo piped up suddenly. "Sesshomaru has both his arms!"

The others blinked at this announcement and looked again at the pup. Sure enough, the left arm that Inuyasha had severed was there. Sesshomaru held out both hands, staring at them, confused. Why wouldn't he have two arms? He looked at Inuyasha who shrugged and tugged at both his brother's hands to see if they were really attached. Then he held out his own arms to be tugged. They went back and forth, sometimes falling over as their grip slipped, laughing.

Miroku nonchalantly stepped on Jaken as the imp opened his mouth to blather about Inuyasha's cutting off his master's arm. They didn't need the pups knowing that their adult selves were mortal enemies.

Kagome knelt down, interrupting their game. "Inuyasha, why don't you wear this for now?" she said, holding out the Robe of the Fire Rat to him. He came up to her and smiled.

"Pretty!" he declared as she wrapped it around him. With some creative folding and knots, she managed to get it so the fabric would stay around him so long as he didn't move around too much.

"Yes," she agreed. "It looks nice on you. Red is certainly your color."

Meanwhile, Rin had persuaded Sesshomaru to bundle into his kimono. She had picked up his long sash to tie it with but the length of fabric was so long she wasn't certain how to go about it. Seeing the little girl's predicament, Sango went to help. Kneeling down she allowed Sesshomaru to sniff at her before reaching for him. He was reluctant to allow her too near, however, and drew away from her hands.

"I won't hurt you," she tried to reassure him.

Kirara chose that moment to jump onto Sango's shoulder. Sesshomaru's eyes followed the two-tailed cat as she licked her paws. Getting an idea, Sango reached up and plucked Kirara from her perch. She cuddled the cat in her lap. Gold eyes focused intently on them.

"Would you like to pet her?"

He nodded and crept forward and reached out a small clawed hand hesitantly. Kirara nuzzled his hand with her head and he smiled and stroked her, studying her twin tails intently. Kirara purred contentedly at the attention. Sango allowed him to pet Kirara for another minute before the cat jumped back to her shoulder.

"Can I help you with your clothes now?" she asked.

He nodded, eyes still fixed on Kirara. Not bothering with the too long sash, Sango tied the white silk as well as she could around him to hold it in place. A part of her felt it was a pity to treat such a fine garment thus but they didn't have much choice if they didn't want a naked pup running around.

"It might help if we move this," she said, reaching for the fur that wrapped over his right shoulder. To her surprise, it didn't move. She gave a slight tug, and immediately stopped when he let out a slight yelp.

"Huh. I always thought that fur was just for decoration," Shippo commented. "Who knew it was attached."

Inuyasha had wandered back over by then. The brothers looked at each other and giggled. "Tail!" Inuyasha said.

"That's his tail?" Sango asked slowly.

Inuyasha nodded and Sesshomaru looked smug as he snuggled the fur against his face.

 _He_ is _a dog, after all._ Kagome remembered the time she had seen Sesshomaru in his true form as a giant silver-furred dog. A ruff of fur had run around him and across his back to his fluffy tail. Very similar to the way it was now. And it _did_ look a lot like dog fur… It had never occurred to her that he'd retain any of his demonic attributes in his human form.

Now that the pups were covered, if not properly dressed, they loaded Ah-Un with the rest of Sesshomaru's clothes, armor, and weapons. They took great care to wrap Tokijin so no one came in contact with the sword itself. While the evil aura had been subdued by Sesshomaru's own, no one was certain what would happen with him in his current state. Shippo argued for leaving the sword behind but in the end agreed that upon being restored, the demon lord would likely be angered by such an action. The more persuasive and logical argument that decided it was the blade was dangerous; anyone except Sesshomaru would be possessed by it. It was much too dangerous to leave it laying around where someone could stumble upon it. So they took it with them.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were both placed on the dragon's back, along with Rin. Both pups seemed agreeable to having the girl ride with them. Miroku held Ah-Un's reigns. The dragon seemed perfectly content to allow him to lead it. They returned to the clearing where they had camped the previous evening and collected the gear they had left behind when they had chased after Inuyasha. Tessaiga joined Tenseiga and Tokijin and the rest of the gear was piled around the children. Jaken muttered under his breath but followed along, refusing to let Sesshomaru out of his sight, convinced that these humans were somehow to blame for his lord's current state.

Double checking that everything and everyone was secured, the group turned and headed for Kaede's village and hopefully some clue as to what had occurred and, more importantly, how to fix it.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Yay! A couple of reviews! Thank you! :)

Chapter 3

Kaede greeted the little group at the outskirts of the village. She had been gathering herbs at the edge of the forest and had seen them approaching. She took in the addition of the two-headed dragon, a little human girl, a green imp-like demon, and two silver-haired children who couldn't have been more than three or four summers.

"Where be Inuyasha?" she asked, noting the half-demon's absence. Normally he would have been at the forefront of the group, announcing their arrival with his usual bravado and gusto.

"Well… that's sort of why we're here," Kagome said, uncertain how to explain what she didn't understand herself. "He's not hurt!" she hurriedly added, seeing Kaede's alarm. "He's… different." She motioned to the children on Ah-Un.

Kaede took a closer look and her eyes went wide with shock as she recognized the distinctive ears on top of the silver hair. "That child be Inuyasha?" she asked in disbelief. At Kagome's nod she added, "What has happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us, Lady Kaede," Miroku said.

"Down!" Sesshomaru demanded, bored with the adults talking around him.

Kagome absently lifted him from Ah-Un's back and placed him on the ground, along with Inuyasha. Rin slid off herself and stayed near the pups.

"Don't go wandering off," Kagome admonished.

"Boring!" Inuyasha muttered, rolling his eyes.

"I have never heard of such a thing," Kaede admitted. Their attention refocused from the children to the problem at hand. "Has he any memory?"

"It doesn't appear so," Miroku said. "They both seem to know nothing of their adult lives."

Their attention was diverted for a moment by a low growl from behind them. Sesshomaru was crouched low in front of Rin. The girl looked frightened. The demon pup's gold eyes were darting everywhere and his fangs were bared. His nose was twitching at the strange smells. His growling increased as villagers paused to look at them. He held his claws up threateningly. Inuyasha, upon hearing his brother's growls, nuzzled his head against Rin. She wrapped her arms around him, petting his ears.

It was then that Kagome realized that Rin wasn't frightened of Sesshomaru as she had thought upon first glance. She was frightened of the villagers. He was protecting her.

"Maybe we should get inside," she said hastily. She didn't want to cause a scene or for Sesshomaru to attack one of the villagers. She had no idea how strong he was as a pup or if he would be able to use the poison from his claws and she had no desire to find out the hard way. They entered Kaede's hut. Sesshomaru gave a final growl of disapproval to the villagers before following Rin inside.

"Who be this other demon child ye have with ye?" Kaede asked.

"It's Sesshomaru," Sango said.

"Sesshomaru?! Inuyasha's older half-brother?"

Sango nodded. "Apparently whatever's happened has affected them both."

"I see… Tell me everything that you remember."

A while later Inuyasha's companions as well as Rin, with several interruptions from Jaken, had told their tales. Kaede frowned as she listened and then checked over the pups.

"I do not know what has befallen them," she admitted. "I can see no sign of spell or curse upon them. Whomever has done this has covered their tracks well."

"How is that possible?" Kagome asked.

"I do not know." Kaede was troubled. She had never heard of such a thing and was not able to even guess how it had been accomplished. "Ye did not notice _anything_ , no matter how inconsequential it may have seemed at the time out of the ordinary?"

Kagome shook her head. "No. Nothing. We helped a village we were passing through with some minor demons. Then we camped for the night in the forest. There were no strange auras, no strangers passed, nothing. We woke up and Inuyasha was like this." The others nodded in agreement. Neither Miroku or Sango, both capable of sensing demonic auras, had sensed anything, nor had Shippo smelled anything unusual.

"Could Naraku be behind this?" Sango wondered.

"I don't see how," Miroku answered. "How would he benefit from turning Inuyasha and Sesshomaru into children?"

"Maybe to make them weaker?" Kagome suggested.

"Perhaps. But why then has he not already attacked or sent his minions to capture or kill them? And there was no trace of Naraku's aura in the area. I'm also certain Inuyasha would have alerted us to his scent."

"I would suggest ye check again in the area where this occurred. Perhaps there is some clue ye missed."

Kagome sighed heavily. "I guess that would be the best place to start."

"Ye should wait until morning to leave," Kaede said. "It will be dark soon and ye will not get far. Besides, I think ye should find some suitable clothing for the children before ye go again."

Kagome smiled ruefully at the two once again naked pups running around the hut. "I suppose you're right," she admitted. She was eager to be off to help return Inuyasha to normal as soon as possible. But she saw the wisdom in waiting until the morning to do so. "Inuyasha, Sesshomaru," she called. The pups stopped their game and looked at her with twin quizzical expressions on their faces. She smothered her smile at the sight. She had to admit, Inuyasha was absolutely adorable as a pup. Even Sesshomaru had been a beautiful child, she mused. If she hadn't known better, she would never suspect this smiling child was the cold and impersonal demon who wanted nothing more than to kill his brother that she'd encountered. "We're going to find you two something that fits you better for now."

After several minutes of trying to get the excited pups to stand still, Kagome and Sango had them wrapped back into their overlarge clothes for the foray into the village. Jaken insisted on coming along. Kagome sternly warned him against harming any of the villagers but allowed him to follow. She carried Inuyasha in her arms while Sesshomaru walked beside Rin. The little girl held his hand and skipped along cheerfully, appearing completely nonplussed about seeing his transformation to a child younger even than herself. Jaken had tried to take Sesshomaru in hand and had nearly ended up with a set of tiny fangs in his arm for his trouble. He muttered sulkily as he trailed behind the little group.

An hour later they returned to Kaede's home. Inuyasha was pouting in his green outfit because it wasn't red. Their choices in children's clothing had been limited. Sesshomaru looked perfectly content in his royal blue, the silver of his tail contrasting nicely with the dark fabric. A fact he seemed well aware of as he ran his hands over his clothes, smoothing nonexistent wrinkles and wrapping his tail around himself. He preened as Rin complimented his new clothes. Even Inuyasha's ears perked up a bit at her praise. By the time they returned, Kaede and Miroku had prepared a meal which was cooking over the fire. The pups went out to the garden behind the hut with Rin and Shippo to play until dinner. Jaken followed to keep an eye on his lord.

Dinner wasn't exactly somber, but each of the adults was trying to think of anything that could help Inuyasha. They had hoped Kaede would at least be able to give them some clues or guidance if not outright cure him. At worst, it appeared as though he'd simply grow up on his own. Though they'd all be dead and gone before he reached the age he had been before his transformation. It was a sobering thought.

The children were all yawning by the time dinner was consumed. Kaede made up a place for them to sleep. After some sleepy protests, they curled up and fell asleep one by one while the adults remained near the fire, talking quietly amongst themselves.

#####

Kagome wasn't certain what had awoken her. It was still nighttime. The hut was quiet and still. Her companions slept peacefully nearby. She sat up, listening, stretching her senses. She didn't feel any unfamiliar demonic auras in the area or sense any Jewel shards nearby. She noticed that Kaede's place was empty. Then she heard a quiet voice outside. She went to the door, pushing the covering aside to peer out.

Kaede sat on a wooden bench just outside her hut. In her arms was a small silver-haired bundle. She was whispering softly to him. Kagome heard soft sniffles coming from it. From the lack of puppy ears on his head, she realized the child Kaede held was Sesshomaru.

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked, keeping her voice low so not to startle the pup. She sat beside Kaede, who looked over at her.

"He misses his father," the old priestess answered, equally quiet.

The silver head raised a bit and a pair of gold eyes peered at Kagome from over the arm that held him. They were wet with tears. He wiped his sleeve across them, wiping the tears away. He hiccupped and Kaede rubbed his back until he put his head down on her shoulder. Kaede kept her voice gentle and calm as she comforted him. She rocked him until the gold eyes closed and the little body went limp. Kagome watched silently, marveling at how well the older woman handled the pup. It was easy to see why the village children loved the priestess.

In spite of everything he had put them through, the number of times he had tried to kill them all and not just Inuyasha, his cold and cruel manner, Kagome found herself feeling sorry for him. At the moment he was not the cold-hearted demon who coveted his brother's sword and wanted him dead. He was a small, frightened pup who missed his father. She reached out and brushed his bangs back out of his eyes, revealing the crescent moon on his forehead. She stroked the surprisingly soft hair for a few minutes.

 _He looks so innocent,_ she thought as she looked at the face that was relaxed and open in sleep. She smiled to herself. She fervently hoped Sesshomaru didn't remember this when he returned to normal. He would kill her for certain.

"Ye should try to get some more rest, child," Kaede said as she stood a few minutes later. "There are still a couple of hours before the sun comes up."

Kagome held the door cover aside while Kaede carried Sesshomaru back inside. Once he was settled back with this brother and the other children, both women returned to their beds. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After a quick breakfast, the group left Kaede's village. They returned to the clearing where they had awoken to Inuyasha's transformation back to a child. They split up and searched the entire area and into the trees. Nothing. No trace of anything that could explain his sudden transformation. They walked through the forest, senses alert, to the place they had come across Sesshomaru and his group. They searched the second clearing with as little success as the first. Sango took Kirara to search a bit in the direction Rin indicated they had traveled from.

"There's nothing here," Kagome said dejectedly. "Now what? We can't leave Inu – them – like this. Miroku, do you sense anything at all?"

The monk closed his eyes and concentrated. The others held their breath in silent anticipation. He reopened his eyes and shook his head. "I can sense you, Kagome, because of your spiritual power. The only demonic auras I'm sensing are from the ones with us."

"How does Inuyasha's aura seem? Is it the same as when he's his usual self?"

Kagome knew she had worded her question awkwardly but Miroku seemed to understand what she was asking. "Inuyasha's demonic aura is weaker than normal. So is Sesshomaru's. Though it seems to be due to them being so young rather than any outside influence."

Kagome relaxed slightly. She had been worried that whatever had been done to cause Inuyasha's transformation would have more sinister effects on him. She was glad that didn't seem to be the case. Discovering what had happened and how to reverse it was going to be difficult enough without having to race against the clock as well.

Sango returned a short time later. She shook her head as she rejoined them. She hadn't discovered anything. They stood looking at one another for several minutes as each tried to come up with something, anything, useful. Kagome was startled by a sudden tugging on her skirt. She looked down to see Sesshomaru looking up at her. She was struck once again by how innocent he seemed, his expression open and warm instead of the cool mask she was accustomed to. She wondered if this had been what he'd been like as s child. And what had happened to change him so drastically.

"What is it, Sesshomaru?" she asked.

"We go see Father now?" he asked hopefully. Kagome didn't have the heart to tell him his father was long dead.

"I don't know where he is," she deflected.

The pup smiled at her, showing his tiny fangs. "Home!"

"Where's home?" Miroku asked.

The pup frowned. "Home," he repeated as if it explained everything.

"He's still just a young child, Kagome" Miroku said, seeing her frustration.

"I know," she replied with a sigh.

"Sesshou, come play!" Inuyasha said, running up to his brother and tugging at his hand.

"Stop pulling, 'Yasha!"

Inuyasha scowled at him. Then a mischievous grin came over his face as Sesshomaru turned away. Suddenly he pounced, landing on Sesshomaru's tail. Sesshomaru yelped in surprise, whirling and swiping with his claws as Inuyasha jumped back, laughing. They ran off, followed by Rin, to play.

"Jaken, do you know where Sesshomaru's home is?" Kagome asked, remembering the imp.

"I know everything about my lord!" Jaken declared proudly. He seemed to deflate a bit as several seconds of silence ticked by while they waited for more information. "But I am not aware of the location of a permanent residence," he admitted. "Or even that he has one."

"He doesn't have a home?"

Jaken shrugged slightly. "Not that I am aware. Though my lord often leaves on his own for a time so it is possible that is where he has gone…"

Kagome sighed again. "Well, that doesn't help."

"Rin!" Jaken called sharply. "Come here, girl!"

The girl looked up from where she was gathering wildflowers. She skipped over to them. "Yes, Master Jaken?"

"Have you ever heard Lord Sesshomaru speak of the location of his home?" the imp demanded.

Rin shook her head. "No. He has never spoken of it. Are we going there? I wonder what it's like. I bet it's beautiful. And regal. And -"

"Silly girl! Don't ask so many questions!"

"Sorry, Master Jaken." She seemed to deflate slightly.

Kagome smiled kindly at her. "It's okay. Thank you, Rin. Why don't you keep playing with the pups. Don't let them wander off."

Rin brightened. "Okay!"

"Their father was lord of the western lands," Sango said thoughtfully. "I don't know much about the area. Perhaps there are other inu yokai there that can help."

"Isn't that dangerous, though?" Miroku countered. "What if someone decided to take advantage of the fact that Sesshomaru is now a child? Not to mention, many demons are not exactly friendly towards humans. Or half-demons for that matter."

"It's a risk we may have to take. Kaede didn't know what happened to them and can't reverse it. Unless we can find someone more knowledgeable in such matters I don't see that we have much of a choice."

"Why don't we try the villages around here, first?" Kagome suggested. The only full-blooded inu yokai she had met was Sesshomaru. If the rest were more like him than Inuyasha she was in no hurry to try to ask for their aid. While she would do anything to help Inuyasha she preferred to try the less lethal option first. " _This_ is where whatever happened… happened. Maybe there's someone powerful in the area that we haven't been able to sense. Maybe they have a barrier or something. Besides, it doesn't make any sense that someone would cause them to become pups again and then just leave."

"It's worth a try since we're here anyway," Sango agreed.

"And we can always head west if we don't find anything."

With a final check of the area, they decided to head for the village they had passed through on their first journey through the area as a starting place. The children were gathered and placed on Ah-Un and they were off.

#####

Shortly before midday they stopped for lunch. The village was visible just a short distance away but the pups were whining that they were hungry. They decided it would be better to eat outside the village to keep their strength up in case they needed it. Nobody said it out loud, but they expected whomever had caused Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's condition to be hostile and the confrontation would likely end in a fight.

A sudden "Ow!" from Inuyasha was followed by a loud slap. Inuyasha was holding something in his hand and he and Sesshomaru were both were poking at it with their little claws. A moment later a familiar voice sounded in Kagome's ear.

"Master Inuyasha, that is hardly the way to greet your loyal servant. That goes for you, too, Lord Sesshomaru. You should know better than to poke someone with your claws!"

"Myoga!" Kagome said, recognizing the flea demon. "What are you doing here?"

"Never mind that! What has happened to Master Inuyasha?"

"We don't know," Kagome admitted. "The other day we woke up and he was like this. We came across Sesshomaru a little while later. Neither of them seem to have any memories of their adult selves. Even Kaede doesn't know if this is a spell or a curse or what."

"I see," Myoga peered at the pups, who had forgotten about him. Inuyasha and Rin chased Sesshomaru, trying to catch his tail. The little demon was faster than both of them and giggled madly as he teased them by allowing them close, then darting away with inhuman speed, despite his age.

"Do you have any ideas, Myoga?" Sango asked.

The flea demon watched the children for another moment, considering. "Not really," he finally admitted. "I've never heard of anything that could cause a reversion to childhood like this. But whatever happened, it had to have been caused by powerful magic. I advise extreme caution."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Miroku asked.

"Think about it. For all his faults, Master Inuyasha is a strong half-demon. He wields the Tessaiga, a powerful heirloom from his father. And Lord Sesshomaru a powerful full blooded demon against whom any but the strongest spells would be completely ineffective. Didn't you say even your purification arrows had no effect on him, Kagome?"

"Oh, yeah," Kagome said, recalling the time she had shot at him, only to have him catch her arrow in his bare hand and dissolve it with the poison from his claws. Something that would have outright purified any other demon.

"Did Lord Sesshomaru have Tenseiga with him when you found him?" Myoga asked suddenly.

"Yeah," Kagome answered. "Well it was beside him in the pile of his clothes and armor. It's on the dragon right now, along with Tessaiga and the rest of his and Inuyasha's stuff. Why do you ask?"

Myoga didn't answer her immediately. "You there, imp, you travel with Lord Sesshomaru, do you not?"

Jaken puffed out his chest and glared at the flea. "I am Lord Sesshomaru's most loyal servant!" he declared.

"Did Tenseiga react strangely at all before this occurred?"

"Tenseiga?" Jaken said. "That useless sword?" He stopped his bluster and thought for a moment. "No. Lord Sesshomaru wasn't acting as if it was, either." He remembered how Sesshomaru seemed almost puzzled by the sword at times. As if it was speaking to him but he couldn't quite understand. It made Jaken nervous to see his master unsettled, however slightly. But that hadn't happened in a while so he figured his master had figured things out.

Myoga frowned and answered Kagome's question. "Despite his hatred of the sword, part of the reason his father left him Tenseiga was because it protects him. You've seen it for yourself when Master Inuyasha hit him with his Wind Scar. That it did not react to whatever caused his and Master Inuyasha's current condition seems unusual. Though it could simply mean that Tenseiga didn't sense his life was in danger."

"Or that whomever did this is so powerful that they were able to do it in spite of Tenseiga."

Myoga shook his head. "That's highly unlikely. Remember, Tenseiga was forged from one of their father's fangs. His power is in that blade, just as it's in Tessaiga, and he was one of the most powerful demons who ever lived."

"Well, that's reassuring. I guess," Kagome said, not sounding entirely convinced. "Tessaiga's sheath didn't protect Inuyasha, either."

"No, which is why I do no believe the 'spell' itself was a danger."

"Only the effects." She sighed. This was getting them no closer to finding answers. "We're going to check with the villages in the area to see if they know of anyone powerful enough to do this. If that doesn't work we're considering heading west to see if we could find other inu yokai to help," Kagome said reluctantly. "Unless you have any other ideas. We can't think of anything else to do at this point."

"But we're not sure what will happen if they find Sesshomaru like this," Sango pointed out.

"Hm. Well, if it helps, inu yokai do live in packs and are very loyal to them. I doubt they'd harm Lord Sesshomaru, at least."

"But Inuyasha?"

Myoga shrugged. "It depends. You know that half-demons are not well received anywhere. You may find help, you may not. Being that he is the great Inu no Taisho's son may aid you. But I cannot say for certain."

"You're a big help," Shippo muttered sourly.

"Myoga," Kagome said as something that had been bothering her came to the forefront of her thoughts again. "How old is Sesshomaru? I mean, he's older than Inuyasha, right? He was old enough to remember their father pretty well. So why do they look like they're the same age now? Shouldn't he be older?"

"Wow, Kagome, nice catch. I didn't even think about that," Sango said.

"Not to mention he has his left arm again," Shippo put in.

"I couldn't tell you," Myoga said. "It is true that Lord Sesshomaru _is_ several centuries older than Lord Inuyasha. Though keep in mind he is still very young for a demon. In demon terms he's still an adolescent, barely considered an adult." His eyes travelled to the brothers who were still running all over with incredible speed and agility. Rin was laughing and cheering them on as they raced and bounded about.

"Though you're right, Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru _should_ still be older than Master Inuyasha," Myoga continued after a few moments of consideration. "He was a mid-adolescent when Inuyasha was born. Perhaps, like his arm regenerating, it's an effect of whatever caused their reversion."

"Well… that's interesting. Though not really helpful at the moment."

"I regret that I cannot be of more help. I will go and seek answers. Perhaps Totosai can shed some light on why their swords did not react. I'll send word if I discover anything."

"Thanks, Myoga," Kagome said as the tiny flea demon jumped down from her shoulder and took off. She looked at her companions. "I guess we have no choice but to keep going."

They finished cleaning up the remains of their lunch and gathered the pups and Rin, setting out once again.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I am so glad that people are enjoying this story so far! Thank you for the kind reviews!

Chapter 5

Kagome couldn't help but smile as she looked over at the children sleeping in a pile. Inuyasha's puppy ears twitched in his sleep. Sesshomaru's tail was wrapped around them both. Rin and Shippo were curled on either side of the sleeping brothers. One of Rin's arms was thrown over Sesshomaru. Kagome had been impressed with Rin's fierce protectiveness and devotion to Sesshomaru. She wondered, not for the first time, what he had done to earn such loyalty from the girl.

Their search for answers had thus far been unsuccessful. The first village was the same one they had passed through several days prior. Nobody had been able to tell them anything relating to their current situation. There was no one powerful there and they hadn't heard rumors of anyone nearby who could wield great power. That was why they had been grateful for their help when they had passed through several days ago in ridding the village of the minor demons that plagued them. The entire village had been grateful and there hadn't even been a hint of discontent that their party counted demons among their number. They were a peaceful village that was largely left alone other than some trading with wandering merchants who sometimes would stop on their way to more populous villages and towns.

They had pressed on and made it to the next village around nightfall. It was larger than the first and they had been able to find a meal and lodgings for the night. It was getting late and one by one everyone was turning in for the night now that they had eaten and the children were settled. Kagome crawled into her sleeping bag after petting Inuyasha's ears for a moment. She desperately hoped that they would find some clues tomorrow. As adorable as Inuyasha was as a young pup, she missed his normal bold, brash manner. With a sad smile as she looked over at him one last time, then she curled up and fell asleep.

#####

After a quick breakfast, the group headed out into the village in search of answers. They decided to split up in order to cover more ground. Miroku and Sango took Inuyasha and Sesshomaru with them. The pups stubbornly refused to be separated. Rin also followed along, not wanting to leave Sesshomaru's side. They had noticed that she seemed nervous in the village and that she was more comfortable when Sesshomaru was near. Both pups also responded well to the girl, remaining by her side and walking with her. Jaken muttered about being forced to leave his lord's side but went along with Kagome and Shippo. Not that he was given much of a choice in the matter. They had left Ah-Un just outside the village to graze. Rin had assured them that so long as there was a patch of grass for him the dragon would be fine by himself and would await their return.

Sango soon found she had her hands full with keeping track of two excitable pups. The village was full of new sights and scents, all irresistible to sensitive noses and curious eyes. The pups kept stopping to investigate a strange scent or a colorful item that caught their eye. Even Rin couldn't keep them moving and soon they were lagging well behind Miroku. Several merchants eyed them warily. Sango wasn't certain if it was because they were worried that something would be broken or stolen or because the pups were demons. Either way, they were never going to make any progress at this rate.

She finally stooped and scooped up both pups. She caught sight of Miroku a short distance ahead, chatting with several women. Scowling, Sango marched up to him and deposited Sesshomaru into the surprised monk's arms. The sudden appearance of the pup sent the women into a fit of coos and giggles.

"Oh, isn't he precious!"

"Look at that hair!"

"What an adorable child! He must take after his daddy!"

Sesshomaru stared in bemusement at the women who were suddenly fawning over him. One of them reached out and tugged on his tail. He yipped and pulled it back with both hands, scowling at the offending woman. "My tail!" he snapped. "No touch!"

His indignation sent the women into another round of practically swooning over him. "Oh, he thinks he has a tail! How cute! Is that one yours, too?" one of the women asked, motioning to Inuyasha.

"No, actually neither are mine. However, I just happen to be looking for a beautiful young woman who would be willing to bear my children."

"Miroku," Sango's warning tone cut through the giggling. "We're here to help Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, not get you a date."

"Sango, you misunderstand. I was simply asking these lovely ladies if – "

"If they'll bear your children. I heard you, lecher! Oh, remember that Sesshomaru has fangs and claws," she said pointedly. Upon seeing the same woman who had just pulled his tail reaching for him again, the pup had begun growling softly.

"Uh, right," Miroku said hurriedly, turning so the woman couldn't touch Sesshomaru. He wilted a bit under the force of Sango's glare. "It's been a pleasure, ladies. If you'll excuse me…"

Rin skipped alongside Miroku as they continued walking. "Is your tail okay, Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked sympathetically. "That lady didn't hurt you, did she?"

Inuyasha frowned at Rin's words. He leaned over Sango's arm to get a better look at his brother. "Lady hurt Sesshou?"

Sesshomaru had started to shake his head in answer to Rin's question but paused as an idea came to him suddenly. His lips curved into a small, sly smile that quickly turned into a pout as he nodded. He snuggled his tail against his chest and pet it, peering through the fur with wide eyes. He let out a small sniffle for effect. Sango had to bite the inside of her cheek hard to keep from laughing.

Miroku, who had missed Sesshomaru's sudden switch of gears, looked slightly alarmed. "Did she really hurt you?" he asked, looking at the pup he held and checking for signs of injury.

Sango allowed herself to smile. "He's okay, Miroku. Though I don't think he liked being pawed at by strangers." Sesshomaru shook his head vehemently. "Maybe you can get him a sweet to make up to him for trying to use him to pick up women." She indicated a vendor across the street. "And one for Inuyasha and Rin, too for having to witness it. Then we can get back to the task of restoring these two without stopping to ogle every woman in town."

All three children perked up at the mention of sweets. "Of course, Sango. Though no candy could be as sweet as you."

Sango rolled her eyes as she led the way to the vendor. Though a faint pink tinted her cheeks. "Just remember what you're teaching Rin. And what Sesshomaru will have to say about it when he's back to normal."

Miroku blanched, looking from the little girl at his side to the pup in his arms. "Uh… right…" He hurried after Sango, all desire to flirt having suddenly fled.

#####

Kagome, meanwhile, had inquired about and found the village priestess without much difficulty. A friendly woman approaching middle age and dressed in the traditional garb of a priestess greeted them as they neared the small shrine. Kagome returned her greeting.

"How may I help you, child?" she asked kindly. She raised an eyebrow at Kagome's odd clothes and demon companions but didn't comment on either.

"I was hoping you could answer some questions for me," Kagome said.

"Ask your questions and I shall answer if I am able."

"I wanted to know if there's anyone in the area capable of casting very strong spells," Kagome said. "Or curses."

The priestess frowned slightly. "Curses are not something to be trifled with," she warned. "To curse another will corrupt your own soul as well as the one you curse. I can tell by your aura that you possess great spiritual power of your own. Do not give in to the temptation to corrupt it."

"I don't want to cast a curse," Kagome assured her. "I was hoping to find someone to break one. Or reverse a spell. A strong one. One powerful enough to affect a powerful demon - a daiyokai."

"A daiyokai?" she repeated slowly. "That would take immense power indeed. I myself would not be capable of such a thing. I do not even know of anyone who could accomplish such a feat."

"Oh," Kagome felt her hopes dwindling. "What about any strangers that have come through in the past few days? Has anyone given off a powerful aura?"

"We're wasting our time speaking with this useless human!" Jaken snapped. "This is doing nothing to restore Lord Sesshomaru! He remains a child while you prattle on about spells and curses!"

"A child has been cursed?" the priestess asked, alarmed.

Kagome shook her head and shushed Jaken. "Not exactly. A friend of ours and his brother. They're demons and have been turned into children. We don't know how."

The priestess' expression darkened slightly. Kagome didn't miss it. "You know who I'm looking for, don't you?" she pressed.

The other woman shook her head. "No. But tell me, this demon who was made a child again, can you describe him?"

"Uh, sure," Kagome was thrown by the unexpected question. "He's a half-demon, actually. He has long silver hair and adorable puppy ears on his head. Um, gold eyes. He's about my age, well, the demon equivalent of it. He's strong but can be really rude sometimes. He usually wears red though right now his clothes are green. There wasn't much selection…" Realizing that she was babbling, she trailed off.

"Puppy ears?" The priestess seemed almost amused.

"Yeah. They're really cute. And soft. I guess he has them because he's half-demon. His brother certainly doesn't have ears like that…"

"That's because Lord Sesshomaru is a mighty demon!" Jaken said. "He is not some lowly half-breed like Inuyasha! How dare you insult my master by even suggesting that they are at all alike!"

"Give it a rest, Jaken," Shippo said from his perch on Kagome's shoulder. "Mister great and powerful demon lord was still turned into a toddler too, you know!"

"Ack! Such insolence!"

"Tell me of this other demon," the priestess said before things could deteriorate.

"Well, ah, Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's brother. Half-brother, actually. He's a full demon. Total opposite of Inuyasha as far as personality. They don't even really look that much alike except for the silver hair and gold eyes. Sesshomaru's eyes are cold, not like Inuyasha's. They both sure have a temper and fight constantly. Though he's not so bad at the moment as a pup."

"They are inu yokai?" At Kagome's nod she asked, "He has markings?"

"Uh huh. Two magenta stripes on each cheek and one on his eyelids. And two - or was it three? - on his wrist. Oh, and he has a purple crescent moon on his forehead."

"This demon, would he be the son of the Great Dog Demon?" Kagome's surprised look was all the confirmation the woman needed. She reached into her garments and pulled out a sealed scroll. "Several days ago, a strange man passed through our village. He did not stay but he gave me this scroll. He asked me to give it to anyone who came enquiring about the son of Inu no Taisho along with a description of him, with particular emphasis on his markings."

"Do you remember anything about him? What did he look like? Did he have any spiritual powers?"

"I regret that I do not. I did not sense anything unusual though it is possible he was masking his power. I do not know for certain. My own powers are sufficient to meet the needs of my village but are not that great. He was cloaked. His features were hidden in shadow and he was careful not to allow anyone to see his face." She frowned. "I believe he was a demon, however."

"What makes you think that?"

"I… I am not certain. It is just a feeling. I could be mistaken."

"No," Kagome said. Having strong spiritual powers herself, she understood how it was possible the other woman had unconsciously picked up on something from the stranger. "You're probably right." She took the scroll. "Thank you."

Kagome broke the seal of the scroll and unrolled it carefully. Shippo leaned over her shoulder to get a better look. Her brows drew together at what was on it.

"Let me see!" Jaken demanded.

Kagome turned it so the imp could see it.

"A map?" he said. "That's it?"

"I'm betting that's where he is. And he wants us to come to him."

"It's a trap! To capture Lord Sesshomaru!"

Kagome couldn't disagree. She was already thinking the same thing.

"Please," the priestess said as they turned to leave. Kagome turned back to her. "Be careful. If this person has as much power as you say, then you may be placing yourselves in grave danger to go to him."

"I know. I - we've - got to get Inuyasha back. Sesshomaru, too. We can't just leave them as helpless pups. They've lost the memory of their entire lives. And I miss Inuyasha, even when he's being rude. We'll find a way." She gave the other woman a confident smile. "We'll be careful," she promised.

With a final farewell, they turned and headed off down the path to find Miroku and Sango. They needed to see this. It didn't take long to find them. The excited yipping of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru and Rin's cheerful laughter led them easily enough.

"Kagome!" Sango greeted, waving as she caught sight of them.

"We haven't discovered anything useful yet," Miroku said.

"I may have," Kagome said. She showed them the map and told them about the stranger who had left it and what the village priestess had said about him.

"It's an obvious trap," Miroku stated.

"Do we have any other choice?" Sango replied.

"I don't think we do. Not if we want to get them –" Kagome motioned to the frolicking pups "—back to normal."

Sango shook her head slowly. "You're right, Kagome. But I don't like this at all."

"Neither do I," Kagome said. "But I want Inuyasha back."

"It looks like it'll take us about three days to journey to the location on the map," Miroku said. "That gives us some time to decide how we want to approach this."

"Cautiously," Sango said.

They exchanged a glance and nodded. They took some time to replenish their supplies. It was only mid-morning so they decided to begin travel that day. There was no point in waiting. Whoever had caused the brothers' reversion to pups knew they'd be coming sooner or later and was obviously prepared for them. They left the village, heading north west as indicated on their map.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm in the process of doing some major reworking on the rest of this story so it'll likely be at least a few days in between chapters from here on out. I had it finished, got some ideas to make it better, and it's now in little pieces until I put it back together again. Ah, well. Hopefully it'll be a better story in the end and worth the wait. Meanwhile, enjoy the next chapter! :)

Chapter 6

The next two days passed without incident. The weather was warm and comfortable and the terrain fairly easy to traverse. They came across a steam suitable for bathing late on the second afternoon and decided to camp on its banks that evening. They took turns washing and then dunked the pups in the water for a bath. It turned out that both of them could swim quite well so they were allowed to play in the water while camp was set up and the evening meal was being prepared.

There was a sudden loud splash, followed by some sputtering. "You splashed me, Sesshou!" came an indignant little voice.

Kagome turned to see Inuyasha with his bangs plastered to his face, dripping into his eyes, clearly soaked through. Sesshomaru stood a short distance away, the picture of cherubic innocence. "I just jumped, 'Yahsa," he said. "You in the way."

Inuyasha scowled. He sent a wave of water at his brother, hitting him right in the face. Sesshomaru spat and wiped the water from his eyes. He grinned evilly and his eyes took on a predatory gleam. Using his tail like a third arm, he sent a wall of water over Inuyasha. He resurfaced, ears twitching and sending water droplets everywhere. His expression matching his brother's, they set to seeing who could make the bigger wave.

"Maybe we should get them out before they drown one another," Sango said as a particularly large wave carried a laughing Inuyasha to the far bank.

They called the pups in and got them dried and dressed. By then, dinner was ready and they all settled around the small cook fire to eat.

"We should reach the point marked on the map by midday tomorrow," Miroku said, breaking the uneasy silence that had settled over them as they finished their meal and cleaned up the remains.

"How do we want to approach?" Sango asked, finally voicing the question that was on everyone's mind but no one had wanted to be the first to ask.

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, whoever did this must be pretty powerful. They left the map for us and are expecting us to come. It's not like we have much choice," she concluded.

Inuyasha, sensing her unhappiness, approached and bumped his head against her. She smiled and stroked his ears. While a part of her had enjoyed seeing him as a carefree pup, she still missed his usual confidence. It would make her feel a lot better right now.

"There's not much around out this way," Sango said. They hadn't passed a village all day and somehow doubted they'd find another one on the morrow. There had been no other travelers or signs of life aside from the usual forest creatures. It seemed the mysterious spell-caster wanted privacy for their meeting.

They mulled it over for a while, tossing out different ideas on how to approach. Finally, they agreed that planning was probably a futile exercise. Their 'host' seemed to have all the advantages. They would have to take things as they came and make decisions on the spot. They bedded down for the night, each unsatisfied but knowing that there was nothing more to be done tonight.

######

The group was nervous and on edge as they continued their journey the next morning. Picking up on the tense atmosphere, Inuyasha whined softly. Sesshomaru joined him and looked about with large gold eyes nervously. As they traveled, the wind picked up at their backs. Sesshomaru pawed at his long hair which had blown forward and into his mouth. Inuyasha giggled, momentarily forgetting the nervous energy around him.

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin said sympathetically as he gagged on a mouthful of hair. "Let me help!" She went over to him and brushed his hair back with her fingers. Then she tied his long silver hair back into a high ponytail to keep it out of his way. She smiled. "There! Now it won't keep getting in your face, my lord!"

Sesshomaru's hands explored the back of his head, feeling where his hair had been secured. He tugged at the end of the ponytail. "Father…" he said sadly.

"That's how your father wore his hair?" Rin asked.

He nodded. He looked up at Kagome. "We see Father soon?"

Kagome didn't know how to answer. His father had been dead for two centuries but she could hardly tell this innocent little pup that. She had no idea how he would react to the news and they didn't need a grief-stricken pup on their hands on top of everything else at the moment. She glanced sideways at Sango and Miroku who also looked at a loss of what to tell him.

"Sesshou, look!" Inuyasha said, distracting him, much to Kagome's relief. She followed his finger to see what he was pointing at. A thin column of smoke was just visible above the trees. Her stomach clenched. From the direction, it appeared to be coming from the place indicated on the map that they were to go.

They continued cautiously, everyone alert for signs of attack or traps. Finally, they found the source of the smoke – a small hut sat among the trees. It was a crude dwelling, not very well constructed and would be barely adequate for protection from the elements. They stood watching it for some time. Their eyes picked up no signs of movement from inside. If not for the column of smoke coming from the chimney they would have thought it was abandoned.

"What should we do?" Kagome asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Maybe we should go back," Shippo said from Miroku's shoulder. His tail was bristling with fear.

"We can't do that, Shippo."

"Why not? Inuyasha should just grow up again. Maybe we can keep Sesshomaru and make him nice this time around."

"They're not stray dogs!" Kagome said. She flushed as two sets of gold eyes looked at her in reproof at her poor choice of words. "Sorry."

Inuyasha glared at Shippo. "Sesshou nice!" he defended his brother.

"For now," Shippo muttered. "Just wait 'till he grows up again."

"Whatever we're going to do, we should decide soon," Sango put in quickly before someone slipped and mentioned the brothers' animosity towards one another. "I don't like the idea of fighting an unknown opponent at night." She hefted Hiraikotsu to a more comfortable position on her shoulder.

"Alright," Kagome said, drawing in a deep breath to steady herself. "Let's go." She looked at Rin. "Maybe you should stay here, Rin. It could be dangerous."

The little girl shook her head. "I want to stay with Lord Sesshomaru."

"Don't even think it, human. I go where Lord Sesshomaru goes," Jaken said in warning.

Kagome started to protest but thought better of it. There was nothing to say the girl would be safer if they left her here. At least they could keep an eye on and protect her if she was with them. She lifted Rin, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru onto Ah-Un's back. "Alright. But if any one of us says so, I want you to take Ah-Un and get away with the pups. Immediately and without question," she added firmly, looking right into Rin's eyes. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lady Kagome. I'll keep Lord Sesshomaru and Lord Inuyasha safe."

"Good. I'll be counting on you, Rin."

Ah-Un snorted and looked at Kagome. She had the feeling the beast understood perfectly and was telling her he'd oblige. She patted one of its heads in thanks. Everyone reflexively made certain their weapons were ready though they did not draw them. They didn't want to start a fight if they could avoid it. Especially not with the two normally strongest fighters currently nothing more than children who needed to be protected. With determined nods at one another, they strode forward towards the little hut.

They were almost to the hut when the door swung open and a cloaked figure stepped out. They halted, tensing expectantly.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked.

"My name is Ichiro, though it is no doubt meaningless to you. I am not going to harm you," came a male voice from beneath the hood. "I simply want the son of Inu no Taisho."

"What do you want with him?" Kagome asked.

"That is my concern, girl."

"Not good enough."

A low chuckle came from the dark figure. Hands reached up and pushed the hood back. Gold eyes regarded them with amusement. He was almost as tall as Sesshomaru in his normal state, though broader. His white hair was cut shoulder-length and tucked behind pointed ears. He had a single jagged orange stripe across each cheek.

"You're inu yokai," Kagome realized.

He smiled, showing his fangs. "You're not completely unintelligent. Good." His eyes swept over the rest of the group. They landed on the silver-haired pups. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head and he growled softly. Sesshomaru glared at the stranger, his face hard, reminding Kagome eerily of his adult self. "Ah, _that_ would be Lord Sesshomaru," he commented, noting the magenta stripes and crescent moon. His eyes flickered to Inuyasha. "What's this? Sesshomaru's whelp? I never would have thought he'd lower himself so far as to mate with a human."

"Inuyasha is his _brother_!" Kagome said, indignant.

"So, the Dog General had another son, did he?" Ichiro sounded almost bored. "I had heard rumors that he fell in love with a human. Fool. It is of no consequence, however. He is useless for my purpose."

"Just what is that?" Kagome demanded, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Why transform Inuyasha if it's Sesshomaru you're after? Why turn either of them in to children in the first place?"

"I was unaware of the existence of second son. The spell was carefully crafted to cause the son of the Dog General to revert to three years of age. Since the half-breed is also his son, it affected him as well."

 _That must be why they're the same age now even though Sesshomaru is older_ , Kagome thought.

"Undo the spell."

He threw his head back and laughed. Before anyone could react, a blur shot past them and Ichiro stood back where he had been except he held Sesshomaru by the back of his shirt. The pup snarled and tried to claw and bite at him but he couldn't reach the hand holding him. He growled, baring his tiny fangs.

"Now, now, Lord Sesshomaru, there's no need for that," he said. His eyes snapped up and a blade appeared in his free hand. He pressed it against Sesshomaru's throat. The growl became a frightened whimper. Inuyasha leaned forward and whined. Rin's arms were holding him tight, preventing him from jumping down and going to his brother's aid. "Do not draw your weapons," he cautioned, seeing Sango begin to shift Hiraikotsu and Miroku tightening his grip on his staff. "It would ruin all of my careful planning if I had to kill the pup. In fact, why don't you just turn around and leave now. I have what I want."

"We're not leaving Sesshomaru with you!" Kagome said.

"I assure you that I will not harm him. Quite the opposite, in fact. I intend to keep him in excellent health."

"I don't believe you."

"I need Sesshomaru alive and healthy," he repeated. "He will be restored to his regular self soon enough."

"But why go through all of this just to restore him? Why turn him into a pup in the first place? Why give the village priestess a map to lead us here? Why not just grab him yourself once you cast your spell?"

"So many questions," Ichiro said, amused. "The spell could be cast from anywhere. I saw no point in revealing myself to find the pup. Sesshomaru is arrogant enough to travel with an entourage and I knew they'd look for answers. And here you all are, delivering him right to me as planned. The game amused me." His expression hardened. "Enough of this foolishness! I have what I want. Leave now and to prove that I harbor no ill will towards you I shall return the half-breed to normal. Start walking. When you are a sufficient distance away I shall undo the spell upon him."

"How do we know you'll keep your word?" Sango demanded.

He smiled, a predatory expression devoid of any mirth. "You don't. As I said, I have no use for him. If I restore him, I figure it gives you incentive to leave me alone. I do so abhor unnecessary killing." Not a single person believed his final statement.

"No! We can't leave Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried.

"'Yasha… Rin…" Sesshomaru whimpered. His eyes were wide with fright. They could see him shaking with fear even from this distance.

Kagome felt her heart break at the sight of the terrified pup. She started to reach reflexively for her arrows. Ichiro pressed the knife harder against Sesshomaru's throat, drawing a thin line of blood. Her hand dropped instantly.

"Sesshou!" Inuyasha whined.

"It would appear we have no other choice for the moment but to withdraw," Miroku said, his voice heavy with anger and defeat. He hated the idea of turning around and leaving as much as any of them but he recognized they'd been outmaneuvered. Ichiro would kill Sesshomaru before they would be able to get anywhere near the pup. It was better to withdraw for now and come up with a new plan of attack. "We must leave for now."

Kagome wanted to protest but she knew the monk was right. This entire thing had been a trap from the very beginning and they had walked right into it. Even knowing that it was a trap they had gone straight into the lion's den, overconfident in their success. They had always managed to find a way out before and she had believed they would again. But it seemed there would be no last-minute rescue this time. Her eyes burned with bitter tears.

"Come on, Kagome," Sango said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "This isn't over yet," the last was spoken softly but with the same icy determination that she usually reserved for her vow to defeat Naraku.

They started to turn away.

"There is one more thing I require before you go," Ichiro said, halting them.

"I thought you just wanted Sesshomaru," Kagome challenged.

Ichiro chuckled. "I did. However, I see you have Inu no Taisho's swords. Swords that now belong to his son. You will leave them here."

"The Tessaiga is Inuyasha's sword!" Kagome protested.

Ichiro snored. "You expect me to believe that the Great Dog Demon left his most powerful weapon to his second son? A half-breed no less?" He shook his head. "It matters not. It is now mine."

"You can't use it. No one but Inuyasha can. Even Sesshomaru can't draw it."

"Leave the swords and go." He tightened his grip on Sesshomaru. His tone hardened to a low growl. "I will not ask again."

With great reluctance, they removed Tessaiga and Tenseiga from Ah-Un and placed them on the ground.

Ichiro's eyes lit up as they stepped away from the swords. "The Fangs," he murmured.

"'Yasha?" The pitiful little voice broke Kagome's heart. "'Yasha! Don't go!"

Inuyasha whined, straining against Rin's grip. "Sesshou!" he cried. "Sesshou!"

"Lord Sesshomaru…" Rin said softly. Her eyes filled with tears. She held Inuyasha tightly to keep him from jumping down as they began walking away from the hut. She had promised to keep the pups safe.

As they moved further away Rin hugged him tightly and sobbed.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ichiro watched until the group disappeared from sight. Sensing them continuing to move away even after the trees had swallowed them from view, he slipped his knife away. He picked up Tenseiga with his free hand. As his hand brushed Tessaiga's scabbard there came a crackle and a sudden jolt. He frowned and tried again to pick up the sword.

"Very clever," he muttered as he received a second shock. He looked at Sesshomaru whom he still held and who was giving him an amused smirk. "Pick it up, pup."

Sesshomaru shook his head, his silver bangs swishing across the crescent moon on his forehead.

Ichiro raised the dangling pup to his eye level. He caught his gaze and held it for a long moment. "Do not defy me, pup. Pick it up." His voice was a low growl, full of menace. "And don't get any clever ideas about using it against me. I'll snap your neck before you get the blade clear of the sheath."

Sesshomaru swallowed hard and nodded his understanding. Ichiro lowered him and held him over the sword. He reached for it, half expecting a shock for his trouble. His hands closed around it without incident and he held it tightly as Ichiro straightened back to his full height. Satisfied, he turned and entered the hut. He raised the pup above his head so he was eye-level with a high shelf.

"Put it there."

Reluctantly Sesshomaru placed Tessaiga on the shelf. Tenseiga joined it. Ichiro set Sesshomaru down once the swords were put away. The pup immediately ran for the door. He rebounded off of an invisible barrier and was flung halfway across the room. He tumbled head over heels and ended up flat on his face in the middle of the floor. He scowled as he pushed his tail back from where it had fallen over his head. He climbed to his feet, brushing dirt from his clothes, trying to hide his embarrassment at the undignified position he had landed in.

"I wouldn't do that again," Ichiro said mildly, still gazing at his unexpected acquisitions. He had not even considered the swords when making his plans but they were a welcome bonus once he had seen them. He suspected the human girl had been lying about Tessaiga. After all, Sesshomaru had picked it up just fine. The swords were his by right and they'd be returned to him soon enough.

"There's an impenetrable barrier protecting this place. Not even that priestess or monk can bring it down. You cannot leave until I allow it." He pulled a small object from a hidden pocket and held it up between his thumb and forefinger. It appeared to be an oblong stone about two inches long. The surface was smooth and it was a light yellow color. The stone allowed them to pass unharmed through a barrier formed by another such stone. They were quite rare. "You see, I am the only one who may pass through the barrier. I will remove it when my work is complete and it is no longer needed. But for now I need you to stay put and your friends to stay away." He tucked the stone away once again.

"Give me! Let me go!" Sesshomaru growled. He lunged at the other demon with his claws outstretched. He was fast, even in his current state. The full grown inu yokai was faster, however, and sidestepped easily. He swatted Sesshomaru out of the air as he attacked again. He landed hard on the packed earthen floor, the wind knocked out of him.

"Tsk. You should stop that, Sesshomaru. You're only going to hurt yourself. It wouldn't do to have you damaged after everything I've done to get you here. I don't want to have to tie you up but I will if necessary."

Sesshomaru went still at his words. He glared up at the other demon as he panted, trying to regain his breath. Cold gold eyes met his own. He meant his threat. Sesshomaru glowered balefully at him but stopped his attacks. He was stubborn but he was no fool. He got back to his feet and turned his back on Ichiro, sniffing indignantly as he folded his arms across his chest, trying to appear as if he didn't care at all about the other or what he would do.

Ichiro smiled in amusement at Sesshomaru's antics. He was unsurprised by the pup's attitude. Scion of two great and powerful demon lines and therefore one of the most powerful beings alive; and groomed to rule his entire life, a certain amount of hubris was to be expected. Given his current age it was likely that the pup had thus far been spoiled rotten by everyone from doting parents to visiting dignitaries to palace servants. Being held against his will was not something he would have ever had to contend with until now.

"Father will come for me," Sesshomaru declared suddenly with the absolute certainly.

"I'm afraid not, little pup."

Sesshomaru whirled to face Ichiro, his hands clenched to fists at his sides. "He will! And then you be sorry!"

"You can have all the attitude you want," Ichiro said conversationally and with a slight chuckle. "I'd expect as much from you. You are very much your father's son." He patted the pup on the head as he walked by, earning himself another glare. "Now behave yourself. My preparations could only proceed so far until I had you in hand. I have quite a lot to do before we can proceed to the next step." He went to a bookcase that was pushed against one wall and took down a large leather bound volume. Placing it on a table, he opened it to a previously marked spot.

Sesshomaru glared at his back for another minute, bristling with rage and fear. He had never come across anyone as fast and strong as Ichiro except for his father. And his father wasn't here. He clenched his jaw as a soft whine escaped his throat. He would not show how afraid he was. He would make his father proud.

To distract himself, he looked around at his surroundings, sharp eyes taking in everything and not overlooking a single detail. The interior of the hut was small and cramped. Shelves lined most of the walls, overflowing with books and scrolls. Some held containers of varying shapes and sizes, the contents of which Sesshomaru couldn't even guess. A large table, where Ichiro now sat, was covered with more books and an oil lamp and several candles sat on one corner. A fire burned in the hearth. A cook pot and utensils sat beside it. A pile of what appeared to be blankets and bedding had been tossed into a careless pile in another corner.

He went to the door again. He stretched out a hand cautiously, mindful of how the barrier had flung him earlier. He felt the invisible force crackling around his palm. He turned away and spotted a window on the rear wall. He climbed onto a table, knocking several scrolls to the floor, and reached for it. He drew his hand back with a frown as he felt the now-familiar crackling. There were no other doors or windows. He discovered a number of cracks and gaps in the walls. Further exploration showed the barrier was protecting them as well. None of the spaces were large enough for him to get more than his forearm through. The entire hut was encased in the barrier's protective shell, rendering it a moot point, even if he could have fit.

He turned back to Ichiro. The other seemed completely absorbed in his book as he read and muttered under his breath to himself. His words were too soft for even Sesshomaru's keen ears to pick up clearly. Those he could hear he didn't understand. Sesshomaru flexed his hands, readying his claws. He crouched, his body coiling, ready to spring at his captor's throat.

"I wouldn't try it, pup," Ichiro said without even glancing at him.

Temporarily defeated, Sesshomaru dropped his hand back to his side and plopped down on the pile of blankets. It was as far away from Ichiro as he could get. He drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. _Father will come_ , he thought as he wrapped his tail around himself. He would be brave and strong like Father and didn't need to cuddle into his tail for comfort so it was for warmth. Wrapping into his tail for warmth was okay. Even if the day was comfortably mild. _He_ will _come! He has to._

Miserable and suddenly feeling very small and alone, he buried his face in the fur of his tail. _Father, where are you? Why haven't you come yet?_ He sniffled, the sound muffled by the fur surrounding his face, but refused to cry. He would not cry. But a few minutes later his eye betrayed him and his tail was soon damp with tears.

#####

A/N: I know, I know, I feel like such a terrible person after this chapter. I'll make it up with lots of pup cuddles and a new sword... uh, chew toy.

Just as an FYI: here's _my_ reasoning for Sesshomaru being able to pick up Tessaiga without getting harmed. In one episode of the anime, Shippo is able to hold and even draw Tessaiga without any issues. I don't recall it ever being addressed as to how or why. I'm going with either (a) he's a child; (b) he's "good"; or (c) he has no hatred towards humans so while Tessaiga won't transform for him, it also has no reason to harm him even though he's a demon. Or some combination thereof. I always kind of had the impression that Sesshomaru's hatred towards humans was something that came about when he was a bit older, possibly not even until his father's death or at least his relationship with Inuyasha's mother. So as the child he is now he's not evil and he doesn't hate humans so Tessaiga doesn't reject him from picking it up.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Meanwhile, the group had traveled for about an hour back the way they had come before deciding they were far enough away to be safe. They called a halt to figure out their next move. Rin jumped down from Ah-Un, her face streaked with tears and her eyes red and puffy from crying. She walked a few steps away and stopped, her back to the others, her head bowed, and her shoulders shaking.

"Rin," Kagome said softly, kneeling down beside her. "I'm sorry. But we had no choice."

"I know," Rin replied, looking over at her. Her eyes were moist but tears no longer fell from them. "He would have hurt Lord Sesshomaru if you had tried to fight." She looked very lost and frightened. "We are going to rescue him, aren't we?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"Of course we are," Kagome assured her. She wanted to ask why Rin was so devoted to Sesshomaru. She was more curious than ever as to why the demon allowed the girl to travel with him. And why she chose to stay with him. Though now was not the time to indulge her curiosity.

"Wretched humans! You've allowed Lord Sesshomaru to be captured!" Jaken shouted.

"I didn't see _you_ doing anything to help!" Shippo retorted. "Hiding behind Ah-Un the whole time."

"Why you little –"

"Enough!" Sango said firmly. "This isn't helping. Fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to do any good. We need to figure out how to rescue Sesshomaru before Ichiro can carry out whatever he has planned. I don't trust that he doesn't intend to harm him."

"It would be easier if we knew just what he had in mind," Miroku commented. "What does he want with Sesshomaru?"

"Whatever it is, it can't be good," Sango said darkly. "Ichiro has a significant amount of power on his own. He never would have been able to manage this otherwise." She motioned at Inuyasha who was regarding them with his large gold eyes from his perch on Ah-Un. His ears twitched.

"Yeah, I always thought that Sesshomaru was scary," Shippo added. "But that Ichiro guy… he was really, really scary!" He suppressed a shudder.

Sango nodded. "Sesshomaru's powerful. Though even as cold and heartless as he is he seems to have a code of honor that he adheres to. I can't picture him threatening to kill a child. And he would never use one as a shield or bargaining chip. Ichiro seems to lack that sense of honor."

"Lord Sesshomaru's a good person!" Rin piped up. "He's brave, and strong, and kind!"

The others blinked and stared at the girl, momentarily speechless. 'Kind' was about the last word any of them would have used to describe Inuyasha's older brother. The sincerity of her voice left no doubt that kind was exactly how Rin saw him.

"I never thought I'd see the day when I thought Sesshomaru was the nicer guy," Shippo muttered, breaking the stunned silence. But he had to admit that Sango had a point. Sesshomaru had no qualms about killing but he didn't do it mindlessly and he didn't revel in the slaughter of innocents. He only really tried to kill them when they interfered with his fights with Inuyasha. Otherwise, he pretty much ignored them. Shippo made a mental note to avoid getting involved with the brothers' spats in the future.

Miroku continued Sango's line of reasoning. "If Ichiro somehow manages to get Sesshomaru's powers under his control he would be nearly unstoppable. Both of their power and none of Sesshomaru's scruples, such as they are, I can only imagine what kind of havoc he could unleash."

"I can't imagine that happening," Kagome said. "Ichiro seemed to be just a regular demon. Not like Naraku who can absorb other demons' powers into himself. Sesshomaru certainly isn't weak-willed so I doubt he'd be easy to control. I don't see him helping Ichiro, either. He's not the type to go along with someone else's schemes."

"But he's only a frightened young child at the moment. Which I'm betting was the entire point of transforming him. Ichiro would have no chance of controlling Sesshomaru when he's himself normally. He's too strong-willed and powerful. But as a pup with no memories beyond his current age… no experiences… no power… he'll be much easier to manipulate. Or threaten into submission," Sango added darkly.

"Ichiro did mention that he'd be restoring Sesshomaru," Miroku added. "But if he does so with him under his control…"

"Then we've got a huge problem."

Before they could ponder the situation further, there came a familiar, angry voice. "What the hell?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried as she turned to see him back to his old self. She hastily averted her gaze, slapping her hand over Rin's eyes as well. "Get dressed! Your clothes are in the saddle bag!"

There was the sound of feet hitting the ground, then the rustling of fabric. A minute later he had finished dressing. "What the hell's going on, Kagome?" he asked as he rummaged through the equipment on Ah-Un. "Why are these guys with us? Where's Tessaiga? Did Sesshomaru take it? I'll gut that bastard!" He looked over at Kagome who lowered her hand from Rin's eyes.

"Inuyasha, calm down! Just listen -" Kagome said.

"Sesshomaru stole my sword and you're telling me to calm down!" he shouted. "I'm going to kill him for certain this time!"

"Grrrr! _Sit!"_

Inuyasha face-planted into the ground. He glared until he was able to raise himself up again but he stopped yelling.

"Will you just _listen_! It's not what it looks like. You and Sesshomaru were turned into children by a demon named Ichiro. He's inu yokai. Do you recognize that name?"

Inuyasha shook his head. His brows drew together. "Never heard of him. Why would he do a weird thing like that? Is he another demon that had a grudge against Father? Or was Sesshomaru the one to piss him off? That wouldn't surprise me one bit. That bastard tends to have that effect on people. I know he pisses me off often enough." He frowned as he looked around, realizing someone was missing. "Where _is_ Sesshomaru, anyway?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you! Ichiro was after Sesshomaru. He cast a spell that targeted the son of Inu no Taisho. Since you're also his son, you got transformed, too. He said he didn't know about you. He said he'd transform you back when we got far enough away."

"You just left Sesshomaru with him?"

"It's not like we had much of a choice!" Kagome's anger and frustration burst forth. "He grabbed him and threatened to kill him if we didn't leave. He's fast. Scary fast. He had him before we could even blink. There was no way we could get close to him."

Rin walked over to Inuyasha and stood looking up at him. "Please, Lord Inuyasha," she said. "I know you and Lord Sesshomaru don't get along. But please help him!"

Inuyasha looked down at Rin. Her face was still splotchy form crying. He sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I suppose we'd better go rescue him. Whatever this Ichiro has planned can't be good. I need to get my Tessaiga back, anyway. Besides, Sesshomaru will never live it down if I'm the one to rescue him." He grinned evilly at the thought of his proud half-brother having to admit that Inuyasha had saved him.

"Oh, thank you!" The girl threw her arms around him.

He looked uncomfortable but allowed the embrace for a moment before working himself free of her arms. "Yeah, yeah, don't get too excited. I'm only doing it so I can rub Sesshomaru's nose in it later." But he patted her shoulder comfortingly.

Kagome allowed herself a small smile. Despite his rough edges, Inuyasha had a good heart.

"I have an idea of what Ichiro is up to," came a familiar voice. "And I'm afraid it's not good at all."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sesshomaru had no idea how long he had been sitting curled on the pile of blankets. His tears had stopped some time ago. Now he just felt numb. But it was better than feeling afraid. He stared at the wall, unseeing, his tail still wrapped tightly around his body. He ran his fingers through the fur on his tail, absently grooming it with his claws. It was repetitious, mindless, and comforting.

After a time, Ichiro closed the heavy volume he had been reading from and rose to his feet. He glanced at the pup whom he hadn't heard a word from since his last defiant statement that his father would be coming to rescue him. His tears and sniveling had also ceased a while ago and he'd been completely silent since. Sesshomaru's eyes were hard as they shifted to him to follow his movements. His entire small body radiated anger and hatred. Ichiro smiled inwardly. Such a prideful, stubborn pup. He didn't mind if the pup hated him. He'd forget his hatred and be compliant soon enough. As he moved throughout the hut, Ichiro chatted as if they were old friends.

"You have no idea how long I have prepared for this," Ichiro said conversationally. "It took me centuries and travel to all sorts of distant lands to find the necessary spells. Even more time to study and learn them. Tampering with memories is a delicate business. It is something most will not even attempt. Cowards. The rewards are more than worth the risks!"

He took a heavy wooden box down from a shelf and placed it on the table. He opened it. The inside of the box was padded and a sphere about eight inches in diameter was nestled into it. It appeared to be made of clear glass and dark bluish-purple smoke swirled within its depths, coiling and moving almost like a living thing. Ichiro ran his fingers lovingly over it.

"Luckily in your case I simply need add a few, not remove any. Yes, just memories of me being your father's most trusted advisor and friend. And yours. It took me so long to create this; many centuries of study and effort. And many failed attempts. More than once I wondered if I wasn't striving for the impossible. But then, at long last, I succeeded. This is the repository that holds all of your new memories, Sesshomaru. Carefully crafted just for you. Once I'm finished, you and I will be old and dear friends. Much more so than those others you travel with."

He shook his head and gave Sesshomaru a half-smile. "I've made it a point to learn about you in recent years. I've heard that you hate humans. I can't blame you. Such weak and pathetic creatures they are. Yet you travel around with a bunch of them? A priestess, a monk, and a demon slayer at that. What an odd choice of companions. Not to mention the child and the half-breed. I would have pictured you surrounding yourself with other demons at least, not vermin. Perhaps your father had more of an influence on you than I originally thought."

He considered that for a moment. "Or are you simply using them? Studying them and learning about them in order to destroy them later?" That seemed much more likely given the rumors he'd heard about Sesshomaru over the years. Yet it didn't ring completely true. He shrugged it off as unimportant in any event. It wouldn't matter soon.

"I've heard much of you over the years since I left the West," Ichiro continued. "You are quite the accomplished warrior, are you not? Trying to increase your own power so that one day you can hope to rival your father. He did leave quite the reputation to live up to, didn't he? Though I have no doubt you'll be up to the challenge. We are a lot alike, Sesshomaru. We despise weakness. Your father made our clan weak with his peaceful ways. Negotiating with humans and lesser demons? Pathetic. We could crush them without a second thought. We should demand their obedience, not beg for their friendship! You are a daiyokai - the greatest of our kind. Together, you and I will restore the glory to our people that has been eroded away."

With a last loving look at the orb, he closed the lid to the box securely and replaced it on its shelf. He moved about the hut, gathering several containers into his arms. "I have preparations to make outside, pup. Behave yourself while I'm gone."

Sesshomaru ignored him, turning his face away and staring at the wall petulantly. He scowled at Ichiro's amused chuckle as he left. His sharp ears picked up the sounds of Ichiro moving around outside the hut. He finally uncoiled himself and stretched his cramped muscles. He hadn't understood a lot of what the other yokai had been saying. He understood the words, but not their meaning and certainly not the intensity behind them. But he hadn't liked the way he had spoken, the gleam in his eyes made Sesshomaru uneasy. He wanted nothing to do with Ichiro's schemes, whatever they were.

A quick check at the window showed the barrier was still in place around the hut. Turning away from the window, his eyes scanned the interior of the hut, looking for anything he could use to aid his escape. He wanted to get back to Inuyasha, who smelled familiar, like family. And Rin, whose cheerful smile made him feel happy. The others also had been kind to him and cared for him and Inuyasha, even if he wasn't certain who they were. Except for the loud and obnoxious little green imp. Sesshomaru would be just as glad not to see him again. He hadn't liked the way the little demon had tried to order him around and grabbed at him constantly, trying to lead him.

He caught sight of his father's swords on the shelf where they had been placed. If he could get ahold of one of them maybe he could use it. He ignored the fact that they were bigger than he was and he really had no idea how to use a sword, focusing only on his new goal. He looked around the hut for something he could stand on to reach the high shelf. He went to the table he had used to climb to the window. Grasping it around one leg, he heaved. Gritting his teeth, Sesshomaru pushed with all his strength.

A few minutes later he sat with his back against it, panting with exertion. He scowled at the uncooperative table. It had barely moved. He looked up at the swords again, pondering. There were several shelves below the one on which the blades sat. They didn't look particularly sturdy but he was small and light. He began scaling the shelves, digging his claws into the wood to anchor himself as he climbed. A few minutes later he had succeeded in reaching the swords. With a grin of triumph, he jumped down. He landed with a clatter as the swords fell from his grip and skittered across the floor. He froze. Satisfied that Ichiro either hadn't heard or didn't care what he was up to, he retrieved the swords.

He was confused to why neither sword smelled as if his father had handled it recently. Rather, they smelled like him and Inuyasha and been holding them. It didn't make any sense to the pup. With a shrug, he drew the one that carried his own scent first. He frowned. The blade appeared dull. He cautiously ran a finger along the edge. It _was_ dull. Brow furrowed, he pressed the blade hard against his palm. It didn't so much as scratch him. He drew the other blade, the one that smelled more like Inuyasha. It was even worse. The blade was not only dull but nicked and rusted.

Sesshomaru sat back on his haunches, confused. Why were the swords useless? He was certain his father wouldn't have carried around dull and useless blades. He was positive he had seen one of the blades transform into a magnificent fang-like sword in his father's hand. He examined both more closely. They were definitely Father's swords. Made from his fangs, the blades themselves carried his faint scent. He waved the blade around. Nothing. He replaced it in the scabbard and drew it again. They both remained dull pieces of metal. A low growl of frustration escaped from his throat. What sort of trick was this?

He spent the next half hour trying to figure out the swords. He tried putting them in the wrong sheathes, drawing them again and again, waving them in the air, banging them on the floor, even gnawing on the hilts in frustration until his fangs began to ache. Nothing. The swords remained useless hunks of dull metal. Fed up, he shoved the useless swords away with an angry growl.

Getting to his feet again, Sesshomaru looked around the cluttered hut. He found nothing else he could use as a weapon. He examined every crack he could reach in the walls. The barrier protected them all, even if he could widen one enough to squeeze through. He looked up at the box that contained the strange orb high up on its shelf. If he could smash it then Ichiro couldn't use it and would let him go, he reasoned. There was no way to climb to it. He tried anyway, getting as close as he could and leaping for the shelf. Fortunately, he was extremely agile and didn't injure himself when he missed and fell to the floor. After a particularly hard landing, Sesshomaru gave it up. Ichiro had been careful to keep the precious container out of reach.

Turning his thoughts to escape once again, he considered digging beneath the wall. The floor was nothing more than packed dirt. It didn't take long before abandoned his efforts as his hands began to ache. He had barely marred the floor with his claws. The earth was too well packed for him to dig through and he only succeeded in getting his clothes and hands dirty.

Sesshomaru sat down, worn out and frustrated, wiping a hand across his face and leaving a streak of dirt across his nose and magenta stripes on one cheek. Ichiro had seemed confident that his father wouldn't come for him. Up until now Sesshomaru hadn't doubted that his father would come. As the hours had worn on, however, a tiny bit of doubt began worming into his mind. Maybe Father really _wasn't_ coming for him? But why? Even with Father was cross with him he never abandoned the pup. Had something happened to him, preventing him from coming? Sesshomaru pictured his father, tall and strong and powerful and couldn't imagine anything that could possibly harm him.

Fear and loneliness began taking their toll. His child's imagination began picturing various scenarios, each one worse than the last. It was almost a relief when Ichiro returned. It distracted him from his worried thoughts and was something real for Sesshomaru to turn his rage onto.

Ichiro returned carrying several rabbits he had caught. They had already been skinned and gutted. He glanced about the interior of the hut. His gaze fell on the swords on the floor, the disturbed earth along one wall, and Sesshomaru's dirty clothes and smudged face and his frustrated expression. He smirked.

"I see you kept yourself entertained while I was gone."

Sesshomaru bared his fangs as Ichiro chuckled. Ichiro set the rabbits down and crossed to the hearth. He tossed a couple pieces of wood onto the fire, building it back up to roaring flames. The meat was placed on skewers which he then set over the fire. He was well aware of the gold eyes that were watching his every move, just waiting for an opportunity to strike or escape.

Wrapping his hand in a piece of cloth, he was able to grasp Tessaiga and return it to the shelf it had occupied earlier. Curious as to why the pup hadn't tried attacking him with the swords, he drew Tenseiga. He raised a surprised eyebrow at the dull blade he held. He returned the sword to its sheath and placed it on the shelf as well. The Fangs were powerful swords and it only made sense that Inu no Taisho had placed some sort of safeguard on the blades to prevent them from being used by anyone else. He suspected Sesshomaru would be able to unlock their power once he was returned to his normal stature. Ichiro picked up a pail that sat near the door. He emptied the water it contained into a basin and set Sesshomaru in front of it. He tossed a rag at the pup.

"Wash your hands and face. You're filthy."

Sesshomaru complied as he caught the expression that clearly said if he didn't obey, Ichiro would do It for him. He dipped the rag into the tepid water and wrung it out. He scrubbed it over his face, removing the dirt he had smudged across it earlier. Setting the rag aside, he washed his hands, working the dirt out from beneath his claws. He dried his hands on his clothes and his face with his sleeve.

Shortly thereafter, the rabbits were cooked. Ichiro held out a skewer towards Sesshomaru. The pup ignored him.

"Eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat. You're going to need your strength tomorrow."

"No."

Ichiro sighed. "Eat. Or I'll force it down your throat."

Reluctantly, Sesshomaru picked at the food. Ichiro watched him until he had eaten enough to satisfy the older yokai. Once he was cleaned up, Ichiro pointed to the pile of bedding where Sesshomaru had spent the afternoon sulking. "You should get some rest."

"Not tired."

"Suit yourself." Ichiro picked up the bucket and left the hut to go to the stream for more water. As he exited the barrier, a tiny speck fell unnoticed from his clothing.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I have an idea of what Ichiro is up to. And I'm afraid it's not good at all!" Myoga jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "Oh, Master Inuyasha! I'm so relieved to see you back to your old self!"

"Myoga! You're back! Did Totosai say anything about the swords?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing more than I already suspected. He agreed that if they did not react then the spell itself was not a danger. But that's not why I'm here. I'm afraid I don't bring good news."

"You just said. What is it?"

"I know what Ichiro plans to do with Lord Sesshomaru."

"What does he – Wait a minute! How did you know who's behind this?"

"I returned just as you encountered Ichiro. When I saw what was occurring, I thought it best to remain hidden in hopes of learning something. I hid on Lord Sesshomaru's clothing when I realized it was him Ichiro was after. I remembered Ichiro from many, many years ago when he served my master. He is inu yokai."

"We noticed."

Myoga continued, "He was member of the clan. He disagreed vehemently with Inu no Taisho's protection of the humans that lived in his domain. He also felt that conquest rather than diplomacy showed strength. He left the western domain centuries ago. This would have been well before you were born, Master Inuyasha. Lord Sesshomaru would have only been a young child at the time. Nobody's heard anything of him since. It was assumed that he was dead.

"From what I was able to observe, it appears that he intends to perform some sort of ritual that will implant memories of him being a close friend and trusted advisor to both your father and Lord Sesshomaru. That way he will retain significant influence your brother when he returns him to his normal self. He has a strange orb in a box that he intends to use to accomplish this. It gave off a very strong and strange aura. I've never felt anything like it before. I will say that it made me feel very uneasy just being in the same room with it."

"But why?" Kagome asked. "Why choose Sesshomaru? It seems like an awfully big risk to take. Sesshomaru's pretty powerful. It seems like there's a lot that can go wrong with his plans. If he fails, Sesshomaru will slaughter him for certain. I can't imagine anything worth that amount of risk."

"It is exactly because of who Lord Sesshomaru is. And who his father was."

"Then this is some sort of revenge against his father?" Sango asked.

"No." Myoga shook his head. "You see, as the elder son, Sesshomaru will inherit his father's position as lord when he comes of age."

"Hold up," Kagome interrupted. "What do you mean 'comes of age'?"

"As I've told you before, Lord Sesshomaru is still an adolescent in demon terms. He is still too young to rule in his father's place. His mother currently fills the role of regent until he is old enough to rule himself."

"Wow," Kagome said softly. She had never realized that Sesshomaru would still be considered barely more than a child by his own people. Glancing at Inuyasha, she wondered if that was the reason Sesshomaru held such hatred towards his half-brother. He had still been fairly young himself when their father had died.

"Meh. So what?" Inuyasha interrupted her thoughts. "So the bastard can't rule yet. Big deal."

"This is not some feudal lord's estate; it is a substantial empire. Don't forget, Master Inuyasha, your father was one of the most powerful and influential demons of all time. If Ichiro succeeds in his plans, he will have the perfect puppet in your brother. A way to control those lands without anyone being the wiser."

"He's trying to usurp Sesshomaru?" Miroku asked.

"Not exactly. Lord Sesshomaru is his father's rightful heir. Ichiro would not simply be able to kill him and take over. Not without an impossibly vast amount of resources and a large army at his back. However, there is nothing to say that he couldn't advise Lord Sesshomaru toward taking a course of action that would suit his own purposes. If he is able to gather enough influence over him, he would rule in all but name."

Inuyasha snorted. "I'd like to see anyone try to control Sesshomaru." As much as he hated his older half-brother he knew the other was incredibly strong willed.

"Master Inuyasha, please!" Myoga pleaded. "I have no idea exactly what powers Ichiro has gained over the past few centuries since his departure, but believe me, they are substantial. He was able to bespell both you and Lord Sesshomaru. You know how strong your brother is! Entrapping a full daiyokai is no mean feat! You must stop him before he carries out his plans! He'll most likely use your brother to start a war that would ravage the entire country."

Inuyasha scowled slightly over Myoga's prattling about Sesshomaru being ensnared. As his servant, shouldn't he have been praising Inuyasha's strength rather than his despised brother's? Though, if he was being fair, the flea had a point. Anyone powerful enough to gain control over Sesshomaru would be a formidable foe.

"You stayed and learned all that? I'm impressed! You actually did something brave for once!" Kagome said, seemingly oblivious to Inuyasha's annoyance.

"Don't remind me," Myoga muttered. Louder, he said, "My loyalty has always been to Inu no Taisho and Lord Sesshomaru is his son. If he is in danger, I owe it to my lord's memory to help if I am able."

"Well, now that we know what he plans, what can we do about it?"

Myoga shook his head. "There's a barrier up around the hut. Ichiro is using a Barrier Stone to keep it in place. You'll never break through without Tessaiga."

"What's a Barrier Stone?" Kagome asked.

"Exactly what it sounds like. It's a small object that looks like a colored stone that produces a barrier. They usually come in pairs. The second stone allows the bearer to pass through the barrier unharmed. They are coveted by those who cannot produce a barrier themselves. They're quite useful as they do not pull from the users own spiritual or demonic energy. The barrier will remain up forever unless it is deactivated by the one who possesses the stone."

"Is there any way we can get the stone from him?"

"Not that I saw. He keeps the Nullification Stone on his person. I do not know where the Barrier Stone is hidden. Probably somewhere inside his home itself. It could take days to find it."

"We don't have days."

"I agree. Ichiro still has preparations to make but he's completing them rapidly. He spoke of Lord Sesshomaru needing his strength for tomorrow."

"Damn. That means we're out of time," Inuyasha muttered. "We need to find a way to get Tessaiga back."

"I doubt Ichiro is going to just hand it over if we ask nicely," Kagome said darkly.

"Probably not. However, whatever ritual Ichiro is planning, he's doing it outside. Presumably so he'll have more room in which to work. If he has Lord Sesshomaru with him, that means he'll have the barrier over them to prevent Sesshomaru from running off or anyone from interfering. The hut should be mostly unprotected by it."

"So what?"" Inuyasha demanded. "We still can't get through the barrier."

Myoga sighed. Inuyasha was incredibly thick headed sometimes. "What it means, Master Inuyasha," he said with exaggerated patience, "is that you may be able to retrieve Tessaiga and then use it to bring down the barrier."

"Tessaiga?"

"Yes. Ichiro placed it on a high shelf near the door of the hut. If you can get inside, you should be able to retrieve it."

"That's awfully risky, Myoga," Miroku said. "Besides, wouldn't Ichiro keep the sword with him?"

"I doubt it. He isn't able to touch it, being a full demon."

"Then how'd he get it inside in the first place?"

"He didn't. He had Lord Sesshomaru pick it up."

"Sesshomaru?" It came out halfway between a question and a sneer. "How'd _he_ manage?"

"I'd imagine because Lord Sesshomaru is currently a child that holds no animosity towards humanity."

"That's all well and good," Kagome said before Inuyasha could continue ranting about Sesshomaru being able to handle his sword. "But _how_ is Inuyasha supposed to get in to get Tessaiga? Ichiro's sure to try to stop him if he sees him making a move towards the hut."

"There is a window on the back wall that's large enough for you to enter through."

"So we'll just have to distract Ichiro while Inuyasha sneaks around back, gets inside, and grabs Tessaiga," Miroku stated. "Then he can bring down the barrier and we can rescue Sesshomaru."

"I know! I can pretend to be Sesshomaru and make him chase me!" Shippo said excitedly. There was a pop and then a silver-haired pup looking up at them from where Shippo had been standing.

Inuyasha shook his head. "That won't work, Shippo." He tapped his nose. "Ichiro will know you're not Sesshomaru by scent. Even if he can't smell you through the barrier, he already has the real one."

"Oh," Shippo popped back into existence, looking dejected.

"It was a good idea, Shippo," Sango said, trying to cheer him up.

"You looked just like Lord Sesshomaru," Rin added.

"Really?" he looked pleased by Rin's praise. He never had been able to resist an admiring girl.

Rin nodded. "Yes. I wish I could do magic. Then I could help, too," she said quietly.

While he had no idea why Rin seemed to like Sesshomaru so much, Shippo had become fond of her over the past few days. Besides, he hated seeing a girl so sad. He dug through his pockets and pulled out a couple of the toys he used in his fox magic. "Hey, can you hold onto these for me? It'd be a big help if I don't have to search for them in the fight."

"Really?" she asked, a bit skeptical.

"Yeah. It'll be a big help!" He grinned at her, his green eyes shining.

"Okay!" She returned his smile, cheered by the thought of being able to do something useful to help rescue Sesshomaru.

"Oops," Sango said as Hiraikotsu seemingly accidently slipped from her hand and hit Jaken on the head just as he opened his mouth to berate Rin.

"I think our best chance is to attack Ichiro head on," Miroku said. "If we all attack the barrier at the same time then he'll think we're trying to get through. That should give Inuyasha a chance to sneak around back and get Tessaiga. Remember, he doesn't know that we have any idea what he's planning or what his defenses are. He'll likely think we're simply trying to rescue Sesshomaru. And that we'll fail. We can use his overconfidence against him."

"I agree. That's sounds like our best shot," Kagome said.

"We have no idea when he's going to perform this ritual or how long it's going to take," Sango pointed out. "If we begin attacking before he's committed, he'll likely retreat behind the barrier and wait us out. We need to wait until he's begun but not too long. We don't want him completing it and controlling Sesshomaru."

"We should get closer so we can make our move faster."

"But not too close. We can't risk Ichiro scenting or spotting us before we're ready."

"And how are we going to know when to attack?"

"Myoga, can you go and keep an eye on Ichiro?" Kagome asked. "Let us know when he's ready to begin and we'll attack then."

The flea started to protest, then sighed in resignation. He was the only one who would be able to approach and observe without the risk of being detected. His former master's eldest son was in danger. He knew he would not be able to live with himself should he refuse to help and Sesshomaru came to harm. Or, even worse, if Ichiro gained control over him and destroyed all that Inu no Taisho had worked so hard to achieve over his lifetime.

"Alright," he agreed. "You should camp here for tonight and move closer at daybreak. I will go and keep an eye on things. I'll find you as soon as I learn anything." He hopped off of Inuyasha's shoulder and disappeared.

"I hope Lord Sesshomaru is alright," Rin said softly. "He must be really lonely and scared."

"Foolish girl!" Jaken screeched. "Lord Sesshomaru is never scared! How dare you imply such a thing"

"But Master Jaken, he's only a child."

The imp snorted derisively. "Lord Sesshomaru is a great demon! Even as a child he would not – "

"Give it a rest!" Inuyasha cut the imp off irritably.

"You miserable half-breed! This is all your fault!"

Inuyasha picked Jaken up by the back of the neck and held him up at eye level. "Oh? Wasn't it _Sesshomaru_ he was after? If anything, this is Sesshomaru's fault." He snorted. "It would serve him right if I left him –" He broke off as he saw Rin's unhappy face. With a sigh he tossed Jaken aside. "Never mind. I need to get Tessaiga back anyway so we might as well rescue Sesshomaru while we're at it. Besides, this Ichiro guy is too powerful to leave running loose. Who knows what kind of schemes he'd come up with next."

"I agree," Miroku said. "Ichiro is much too dangerous. He's powerful and cunning and has no qualms about harming anyone to get what he wants. He cannot be allowed to carry out his plans." Sango and Kagome nodded as well.

Kagome suddenly smiled mischievously. "Inuyasha, with you back to normal and Sesshomaru still a pup, does this make you the big brother now?"

Inuyasha simply stared at her, a look of horror coming over his face as he digested her words. "That's just wrong!" he sputtered while the others laughed.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The eastern horizon was just beginning to lighten when the group broke camp and headed back in the direction of Ichiro's hut. They did not speak as they travelled. There was nothing left to say; their plans had been made and there was no turning back. They also didn't want to alert the inu yokai of their coming. While he may be able to smell or sense them there was no point in making it easier for him by being too loud.

They traveled about two-thirds of the distance back to the hut before stopping to wait. Myoga had taken off the night before to keep watch and would return when he saw Ichiro beginning to put his plans in motion. Hopefully they were close enough to foil him. They all knew there were any number of things that could go wrong with their plan. Ichiro had been a step ahead of them from the very beginning. They could only hope that Myoga's spying had finally given them the edge they'd so desperately need.

Inuyasha's ears twitched as he glared in the direction of the hut. He hated waiting around and was anxious to move. He glanced around at his companions to distract himself while they awaited Myoga's return. Sango was making certain the leather holding straps on Hiraikotsu were in good shape and secure. Miroku was eyeing her rear in a way that Inuyasha knew would end in the monk receiving a handprint across the face sooner rather than later. Shippo and Rin were playing quietly with Kirara. The twin-tailed demon cat was greatly enjoying the attention. Kagome was trying to study one of her schoolbooks; Inuyasha still didn't understand why she bothered. She had gotten angry when he had suggested she skip her studies and simply remain in this time until they found all of the Shikon Jewel shards and defeated Naraku. He hadn't dared broach the subject again. Her schooling was important to her so he wouldn't argue. Even if he didn't understand it. Jaken sat near the grazing Ah-Un glaring and muttering under his breath.

 _Sesshomaru hates humans. Why does he let a little human girl travel with him?_ He wondered as his attention was caught by a soft giggle from the children.

"Maybe you should wait here when we go after Sesshomaru, Rin," he said.

She looked up at him with her large brown eyes and shook her head. "I want to help Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Look, kid, it's going to be dangerous. If you get hurt, Sesshomaru will kill us all for certain. You should stay here where it's safe."

"No!" she cried. "Please, Lord Inuyasha! Don't make me stay behind! I will stay out of the way, I promise."

He was about to press the issue when Kagome's hand fell on his arm. He glanced at her. "She can stay back on Ah-Un. We can't just leave her all alone in the middle of the forest," she reasoned.

Inuyasha wanted to protest that his brother seemed to do just that on a regular basis. At least, he never saw the girl when Sesshomaru came to pick a fight. Then again, knowing Sesshomaru, he probably had a secret hideout of something where he stashed the girl. Spiteful bastard. He let it drop, not wanting to be corrected about his assumptions of his brother by a little girl or an obnoxious imp.

"Alright," he relented. "But make sure to stay back. And keep Jaken with you. I don't need to worry about stepping on him in the middle of the fight."

"What!?" Jaken squawked angrily. "How dare you –" Inuyasha's fist to the top of his head silenced his protests.

"Where the hell is Myoga?" Inuyasha muttered.

#######

Despite his declarations that he wasn't tired the previous evening, Sesshomaru had dropped off to sleep quickly once night had fallen. He was sore and bruised from his attempts at escape. His injuries were minor and would heal by daybreak but he was still worn out physically and mentally. The demands of his tired body had won out over his determination to not sleep in the end.

Ichiro found Sesshomaru curled up on a blanket and still sound asleep when he awoke at dawn. His dark blue clothes blended in with the dark blanket on which he lay. The pup's hair and tail, the latter tightly wrapped around him, showed clearly as streaks of silver against the dark fabrics. His mouth hung open slightly, exposing the tips of his tiny fangs. The magenta stripes on his eyelids were clearly visible now that his eyes were closed. He appeared to be an innocently sleeping child, nothing more, nothing less. Certainly not the powerful demon he had been. And would be again shortly, Ichiro thought with a smile.

Leaving the pup to his slumber for the moment, Ichiro retrieved the box that held the orb from its shelf. He carried it outside and set it down on a low alter reverently. His fingers trailed over the rough wooden lid as he smiled. Centuries of study and effort and meticulous planning was about to yield results. Using Inu no Taisho's own heir, he'd effectively rule the western domains. Soon, very soon, his people would rule supreme, back in their rightful place. Sesshomaru may not be Lord of the West yet but that simply gave Ichiro plenty of time to cement his place by the young lord's side. Even with the new memories he expected some resistance. Sesshomaru was extremely strong willed and refused to take orders from anyone on principle. It was simply part of his stubborn loner nature. Learning to handle and manipulate him would take some practice. But he'd have a few centuries yet to iron it out. In the end, he was confident he would succeed. The young daiyokai already commanded great power of his own and his power would only continue to grow as he matured. There was no doubt the boy would surpass even his immensely strong father. And by the time Sesshomaru took up the reigns his father had left behind he'd be firmly under Ichiro's influence.

Eyes glinting with anticipation, he returned to the hut. He retrieved the Barrier Stone from its hiding place and shook Sesshomaru awake.

"Come pup. It is time at long last."

The pup snarled at him, refusing to move. He smiled and held out his hand to him. "Come now, Sesshomaru. I seek only to aid you. Our goals align. You seek to surpass your father and I can help you do so. You will become the greatest ruler the inu yokai have ever seen!"

Sesshomaru growled and swiped at the outstretched hand, scoring a hit with his claws. Ichiro sighed as he looked at the three gashes Sesshomaru had drawn. The blood was already beginning to clot. Fortunately, it seemed he was unable to use the poison Ichiro knew he possessed. Or would possess. He cuffed the pup on the side of the head. The blow sent him sprawling. He climbed to his knees, shaking his head to rid himself of the ringing in his ears.

"Don't be so foolish as to try that again, pup."

Sesshomaru raised his head to glare at him from beneath his bangs, his eyes full of hate. "Father will kill you," he whispered hoarsely.

"I think not. Inu no Taisho is long dead."

"You lie!"

"Do I? I have no need to lie, pup. Do you think your father would have allowed his precious son and heir to wander in the wilderness so far from home with nothing more than a handful of humans, a half-breed, and a couple of weak demons for protectors? Would he have tolerated my holding you here? Foolish pup, your father has been dead for two centuries."

"Liar!" Despite his protest, an icy tendril of fear worked its way down Sesshomaru's spine. What if the other inu _wasn't_ lying? He hadn't picked up his father's scent at all recently. The human woman, Kagome, hadn't known where his home was. Why would his father have sent him out with someone who couldn't get him home? Why hadn't he come to rescue him? Why hadn't his companions come for him? He was confused and suddenly very frightened. He bit his fang into his lip hard enough to draw blood to keep a whimper of fear from escaping. No, Ichiro was lying! He had to be! The alternative was too terrible to contemplate.

"Soon you'll no longer have any need of those weaklings. You're going home, Lord Sesshomaru, to take your rightful place as head of our clan." He snatched the pup up by the scruff of the neck. He struggled for a moment before realizing it was a futile effort to try to break free. Low growls rumbled from his chest.

Ichiro carried him outside. He set Sesshomaru on the ground beside a low wooden table that held the box with the orb and the large heavy book he had been reading from the previous day. The pup tensed and looked around, ready to run.

"I wouldn't advise it. The barrier surrounds us now. You're not going anywhere. However, I cannot risk you damaging yourself. Not now when I am so close. Soon enough it'll all be over and then our real work can begin! Behave or I'll tie you up for your own good."

Sesshomaru glared. He had no doubt the other yokai would do exactly as he said. How dare this cur threaten him! Didn't he know who he was? His shoulders slumped. Of course he did. That was the entire point. He inched back until he felt the warning crackle of the barrier directly behind him. He crouched down, as far from Ichiro as he could get. He had the feeling he was not going to like whatever was coming next.

As Ichiro began chanting, reading from the large book in front of him, the surrounding forest seemed to go unnaturally still. It seemed to the frightened pup that it was holding its breath, awaiting what was to come. He jumped when the silence was broken by the caw of a large crow. The bird left off from where it had been scrounging for worms and grubs and took flight. Sesshomaru's golden eyes followed its movements as it glided away, longing to go with it.

#####

A large crow swooped down into the middle of the group. Myoga hopped onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "Ichiro is beginning!" he cried.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

He didn't have to say any more. Kirara immediately transformed. Sango and Kagome climbed onto her back. Inuyasha couldn't carry her if he was going to sneak away from the main group to retrieve Tessaiga. Shippo hopped up onto Kagome's lap. Rin and Jaken rode Ah-Un. Inuyasha had agreed to her coming along only if she remained on the dragon and Jaken remained with her. He knew Jaken was more afraid of Sesshomaru than any enemy and would protect the girl. And they stayed back from the fighting; Inuyasha didn't want to risk Rin getting hurt or Jaken getting in the way. The little imp had an annoying habit of ending up underfoot at inopportune times. Miroku ran alongside Kirara as they took off through the forest.

They covered the remaining distance back to the hut quickly. Bursting through the trees, they saw Ichiro standing in front of a low alter, chanting as he read from a large book. In his hands he held a dark-colored sphere. Becoming aware of the intruders, he glanced up. His gold eyes burned with a fevered light. He grinned and Kagome couldn't help but think he was mad.

Sesshomaru was crouched nearby, looking frightened. Looking up to see what had caught Ichiro's attention, he caught sight of them as well. The pup scampered towards them. He rebounded off of the barrier. He swiped at it with his claws, baring his fangs in frustration and anger.

"Get back!" Sango yelled to Sesshomaru. She leapt from Kirara's back. "Hiraikotsu!" she cried as she released the huge boomerang. It bounced off of the barrier.

Her action spurred the others. Miroku threw a handful of sutras. Shippo sent a wave of blue foxfire at the spot where Sango had struck. Kagome fired an arrow. All of their attacks bounced harmlessly off the barrier. It was not unexpected but they had still hoped that perhaps they could break through. Kagome hoped Inuyasha was near and was able to retrieve Tessaiga. Their entire plan rested on him now. Until then, they needed to make it look good. She reached for another arrow.

Inuyasha moved quickly through the trees. He had to cut a wide circle so he would emerge out of sight behind the hut. He wasn't thrilled with this entire plan but he hadn't had any better ideas. He was the only one who could wield Tessaiga. He needed to get the sword and bring the barrier down before Ichiro realized what they were up to. He had no doubt Ichiro would kill Sesshomaru if he felt his plan would fail. He held no love for his older half-brother but he'd be damned if some two-bit yokai killed him while he was a defenseless pup. Defeating Sesshomaru was Inuyasha's job and he would do it when Sesshomaru was himself, not a little kid.

As his destination came into view he heard the sounds of the others attacking. He leapt the last few meters and landed on the windowsill, clearing the distance with ease. Myoga had been correct about the barrier being moved. He jumped down into the middle of the single room, eyes searching for his sword. He spotted it on a high shelf near the door, just as Myoga had said. He was impressed the tiny flea had actually come through. He retrieved Tessaiga and Tenseiga. He refused to leave either sword in Ichiro's possession for another moment. Both swords securely at his waist, he stepped out through the front door.

Kagome loosed an arrow at the same time Miroku threw a sutra. The impacted the barrier together with an impressive display of sparks and causing the entire barrier to shimmer yellow. Hiraikotsu struck the same spot before the sparks finished clearing. If the barrier had been weaker they would have stood a good chance of breaking through. The artifact being used to hold it in place, however, was too strong for them to overcome so easily.

"'Yasha! 'Yasha!" came a tiny cry, almost drowned out by the sounds of the others attempting to batter down the barrier. Sesshomaru was jumping up and down, trying to get Inuyasha's attention.

"So, half-breed, you've come back to rescue your older brother? How sweet," Ichiro said dryly. "I doubt he would be so generous for your sake."

"Doesn't matter. Reverse the transformation, let him go, and we'll spare you."

Ichiro threw his head back and laughed. It was a frightening sound, not one of mirth but the laugh of one teetering on the edge of insanity. "Fools!" he screamed. "I am within moments of fulfilling my plans! Nothing can breech my barrier. Nothing! You may now bear witness to the future!"

Dark smoke-like tendrils emerged from the orb cradled in his hands. They moved like a living thing, expanding and reaching out until they surrounded Sesshomaru, lifting him off the ground to hang suspended in midair. He struggled against the force holding him, whining and panting for his efforts to break free.

"'Yasha!" he cried pitifully, his eyes wide with horror and his voice full of fear. "It's so cold! Help me, 'Yasha! Please!"

"He's casting some sort of spell!" Miroku cried. He shuddered. "I can feel the evil from here."

The dark energy of the spell continued to entwine around Sesshomaru, obscuring him from view. Sesshomaru howled, the sound full of pain and fear. Slowly, the howl deepened. Through the swirling mist Kagome could barely make out Sesshomaru's form. It seemed to be getting larger.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried, tears streaking her face.

Inuyasha drew Tessaiga. The blade transformed and turned red. "Get ready," he yelled to the others, gripping the sword in both hands. He charged the barrier, raising Tessaiga above his head and swung hard. For a moment he hung suspended, the blade against the barrier. Then he was though and the barrier was down.

The dark smoke obscured everything within it. Miroku started to remove the prayer beads from around his right hand but hesitated. Without being able to see, he could very well end up sucking Sesshomaru or Inuyasha into his Wind Tunnel along with the smoke. It wasn't worth the risk. No one dared attack, not knowing where anything or anyone was positioned. Even Inuyasha wasn't visible from the group's vantage.

"We need to clear that smoke!" Sango shouted.

"If I use Wind Scar, I'll hit Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha called back. At this close range and without Tenseiga's barrier for protection, a direct hit with the Wind Scar would certainly kill Sesshomaru. The thought of killing the pup revolted Inuyasha to the very core of his being. He had no problem with trying to kill his brother when he was his normal self and they were fighting. Killing him as a pup, however, was nothing more than murder. He shifted his stance and gripped Tessaiga tightly. He needed to do _something_ but he was blind.

Kagome reached for an arrow and nocked it. She drew, them hesitated. What should she aim for? The sphere! She had to hit the sphere. She couldn't see through the swirling mist. What if she hit Sesshomaru? Or Inuyasha who was still on the opposite side of where the barrier had been?

"I've got to shoot!" she cried, hoping Inuyasha would get out of the way. "If it's some sort of demonic energy, maybe I can purify it!"

Before she could think better of it, she released the arrow on instinct. It flew straight into the dark mist, glowing pinkish-purple with her spiritual energy before being swallowed up. She held her breath, praying she had made the right choice.

For a long moment nothing happened. The silence was deafening. Then came the sound like glass cracking. It slowly got louder. A scream of pure rage and agony cut through everyone like a knife. Without warning the dark mist seemed to constrict in upon itself, then exploded outwards. They braced themselves against the rushing energy. Jaken was blown from Ah-Un's back and went tumbling several feet with an outraged yell. Rin was pressed flat on the dragon's back, gripping the saddle tightly. Miroku grabbed Kagome around the waist, jammed his staff into the ground, and clutched both for dear life. Sango used Hiraikotsu as a shield; Shippo hanging onto her legs to keep from being blown away.

Kagome looked up as it subsided, worried about what she would find. Inuyasha raised his head from where he had pressed his forehead against Tessaiga's hilt. He had jammed the sword point first into the ground to anchor himself. That and the scabbard had protected him from the blast.

Ichiro had been blown back against the hut by the force. He shook his head, apparently dazed. A streak of red crossed the orange marking on his cheek from a cut beneath his eye. Sesshomaru lay sprawled face-down and unmoving on the ground. He appeared to be his usual adult self. Kagome's face flushed as she turned her gaze away and she was suddenly very grateful for his tail. Whether by design or coincidence, it covered him enough so he wasn't exposing anything that shouldn't be seen. Though there was still entirely too much visible for her comfort.

Inuyasha walked over to Sesshomaru's prone form. He prodded his brother with his foot. Inuyasha stopped his foot from connecting hard with Sesshomaru's ribs just in time as a tiny voice asked, "Is he okay?" He caught sight of Rin looking at them with tears in her eyes. With an inward sigh, he dropped down beside the other and listened.

"Yeah, he's alive," Inuyasha said roughly. "He's breathing." Suddenly, a bundle of white silk landed in his face. He sputtered and batted it aside. It reeked of Sesshomaru. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

"Get him dressed!" Kagome said.

"Why me?"

"He's _your_ brother!"

"I'm not going to – "

"I'll help you, Lord Inuyasha!" Rin said innocently.

"No!" Inuyasha said hurriedly. "I've got it. You stay there. Miroku, get over here!"

"Why do I have to –-"? he glanced at Rin and went to help Inuyasha without another word.

They had barely wrestled his limp form into his clothing when he stirred. Gold eyes opened, then narrowed dangerously.

Miroku and Inuyasha drew back slightly as Sesshomaru's gaze fell on them. Inuyasha studied his brother for a long moment. His expressionless mask was no surprise but there was _nothing_ beneath it. There was no warmth in his gaze, no anger, no distain. No recognition. He swallowed hard. Had Ichiro succeeded in his plans? If he had, they could all be doomed. While he boasted often that he'd beat Sesshomaru he knew that his brother had stayed his hand more often than not when they fought. If he truly wanted them dead, they'd all be dead. While Sesshomaru might not walk away unscathed, he'd still walk away victorious. Not that Inuyasha would ever admit as much out loud. He tightened his grip on Tessaiga, just in case.

The silence stretched. Finally, Inuyasha couldn't take it any longer. They needed to know if Sesshomaru was himself or Ichiro's puppet. He forced himself to speak, half-dreading the answer.

"Sesshomaru?"


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Inuyasha." It came out a low growl. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you decent," Inuyasha snapped, relieved in spite of himself. If Sesshomaru recognized him and was annoyed that meant he was back to normal. He hoped. "What does it look like?"

Sesshomaru didn't deign to answer. He climbed to his feet. His eyes landed on the cowering Ichiro and narrowed further so they were no more than glittering slits. "So," he said in a low, dangerous voice that sent chills down the backs of everyone, "you thought to entrap _me_ with your pathetic spells?" Despite his bare feet and disheveled clothing, he radiated power and menace.

"Inu no Taisho…" Ichiro whimpered. "I beg you… I didn't mean…" He looked up at cold, impassive face above him and let out a low whine of fright.

Sesshomaru's lip curled in disgust at the cowering figure at his feet. He turned his back on the wretched sight. Ichiro relaxed, thinking he would be spared. A split second later, his head rolled away from his body, having been severed by the green whip that shot from Sesshomaru's hand.

"Pathetic," Sesshomaru spat as he walked past the astonished humans. He paid them no heed. He stopped beside Ah-Un. He began tossing everyone else's belongings into a pile on the ground beside the dragon.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You're okay! I'm so happy you're back to yourself again!" Rin cried happily. He nodded once, acknowledging her greeting. He frowned slightly as he noticed Tenseiga was not among the rest of his belongings. He looked towards Inuyasha. Sure enough, the familiar blue-wrapped hilt was sitting at his hip beside Tessaiga. He stifled a low growl of displeasure upon seeing Inuyasha in possession of his sword.

Seeing Sesshomaru's angry gaze on him, Inuyasha reached instinctively for Tessaiga. His hand brushed Tenseiga's hilt and he suddenly realized that was what Sesshomaru was looking at. He walked over to his brother, keeping Ah-Un between them. He held Tenseiga out towards Sesshomaru. "You lost this."

Sesshomaru took the sword without a word. His eyes lingered on Tessaiga for a brief moment before he turned his attention away from Inuyasha. Tenseiga was placed with Tokijin on Ah-Un.

"Jaken, we're leaving."

"Yes, my lord!"

Jaken grabbed Ah-Un's reigns and began following Sesshomaru away from the hut.

"Wait a moment," Miroku said, much to everyone's surprise. They counted it lucky that Sesshomaru was leaving without starting a fight with Inuyasha. They wondered why he would risk changing that. He motioned towards the hut. "Even though his plans failed, the knowledge Ichiro acquired and gathered is still dangerous. Too dangerous to leave lying around for someone to find."

Gold, slit-pupil eyes regarded him coldly for a long moment. Without a word Sesshomaru turned and strode back to Ah-Un. He unwrapped and drew Tokijin before returning to stand in front of the small structure. He held his sword sideways in front of him. Blue energy crackled along the length of the blade and swirled around him. He swung.

"Dragon Strike!" His voice resonated with the demonic energy that surrounded him.

The hut exploded. Everyone dove for cover as debris flew everywhere. Sesshomaru alone remained unmoved. As the cloud of debris began to settle, he turned and walked away once again, his bare feet making no sound as he passed. He stuck the sword back on the dragon and continued walking away.

"Bye, Shippo! Bye, Lady Kagome!" Rin called cheerfully, waving. "Thank you for your help!"

"Hey! Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha yelled.

Sesshomaru halted. "Do you really wish to fight, Inuyasha?" he asked in his quiet voice. He sounded almost weary.

"No. But what was that all about?"

Sesshomaru snorted softly. "I do not owe you an explanation." He continued walking away.

"The hell you don't!" Inuyasha stood in front of him, barring his way. "You're not the only one who was caught up in this mess you know! Considering I just saved your ass, the least you can do is tell me why I bothered." Looking up at the other, Inuyasha noticed a slight tension around his eyes, a slightly drawn look to his face. _He's exhausted!_ He thought, stunned by the realization. He had never seen his stoic brother show the slightest bit of weakness. It was very subtle, but there. No wonder he wasn't attacking them. _I suppose it would be too much to hope that the arrogant bastard is actually grateful for once._

"Step aside, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said quietly.

For a fleeting moment Inuyasha considered refusing. Deciding it wasn't worth it, he moved. Sesshomaru walked past without another word.

"Hey!" Inuyasha said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kagome came up to him and placed her hand on his arm. "I'm just glad you're back to normal and that's over with," she said. She smiled as he looked at her. "Though you were an adorable pup!"

He snorted and stared at his brother's retreating back. "Arrogant bastard." His hands dropped to his sides. He took a look at the scattered debris that now blanketed the area. Nothing recognizable remained of the hut or its contents. Sesshomaru's Dragon Strike had obliterated everything thoroughly.

"Let's get out of here."

######

Sesshomaru led the way through the unfamiliar forest. Jaken led Ah-Un while Rin rode on the dragon's back. They were both surprisingly quiet, perhaps sensing his desire for silence. He hadn't bothered donning his boots or armor, deciding that being barefoot and disheveled was less undignified than rummaging through Ah-Un's saddlebags looking for the rest of his clothing. His footwear was more for aesthetics than protection, anyway. Tokijin and Tenseiga remained on the dragon as well. His claws were more than sufficient to deal with anything they may come across here.

If he was honest with himself, the armor was heavy and he was weary. He was just as glad to leave it off for the time being. His transformation to a pup and back again and everything that had occurred in between had been exhausting. The demonic power he had summoned for his Dragon Strike had almost completely drained him. It was sheer willpower that kept his shoulders back and back straight as he placed one foot in front of the other.

The grass was soft and cool beneath the soles of his feet. He was able to see the appeal of walking barefoot over it as Rin and Inuyasha did. He frowned slightly, an expression so subtle most wouldn't even notice. His younger half-brother was a sore subject at the best of times. These past days had certainly not been the best of times by any stretch of the imagination. He, Sesshomaru, son of the great Inu no Taisho, and heir of the West, had been turned into a helpless pup. _Humans_ had cared for him. He had sniveled and cried in the arms of the old priestess. Human women had fawned over him, petting him and tugging on his tail. The memories filled him with revulsion. He forced the thoughts down before he changed his mind and turned around to slaughter all those who had witnessed his humiliating transformation. Though he vowed that if he ever heard the faintest whisper of a rumor about what had occurred, he would raze the countryside to exact his revenge.

######

They had just set up camp for the night when there came the sound of a loud slap. Inuyasha held Myoga, who had been helping himself to his blood, in his palm. "Oh, what are you doing here, Myoga?"

"I came to see how you fared, Master Inuyasha. I assume that you were victorious. Not that I ever doubted you for a second."

"Of course you did," Inuyasha said dryly.

"Master, I'm wounded."

"Yeah, yeah."

"What happened to Ichiro?" Myoga asked.

"About what you'd expect – Sesshomaru killed him."

"Lord Sesshomaru was returned to normal as well I take it."

"Yeah," Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "He's back to his usual arrogant self. We should have left him as a pup. At least he had personality."

"Master Inuyasha –" Myoga scolded.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Sesshomaru also destroyed Ichiro's hut and everything inside of it," Miroku added. "That knowledge was much too dangerous to leave for someone to find."

"I agree," Myoga said. He shuddered. "Everything my master had accomplished could have been undone had Ichiro succeeded."

"Speaking of their father, it looked like Ichiro thought Sesshomaru was his father right before he killed him?" Shippo commented. "That was weird."

Myoga shook his head sadly. "Not really, Shippo. You see, other than his markings, Lord Sesshomaru looks a great deal like his father. Even his clothing is very similar to what his father wore when he was alive. His father also wore his hair up in a high pony-tail. The resemblance between them is quite striking."

They looked at Inuyasha. He returned their stares. "What? It's not like I would know."

Everyone was quiet for a few moments.

"So, what do you remember about being a pup, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, breaking the silence that had fallen.

"Huh? Nothing," he said.

Kagome regarded him through slightly narrowed eyes. _He's lying_ , she thought but didn't say anything out loud. He would talk to her when he was ready, she was certain of it.


	14. Chapter 14

Epilogue

That night Inuyasha sat against a tree, holding Tessaiga close. He looked up through the branches at the crescent moon that hung in the night sky. He sighed softly as his thoughts turned to his brother. He had lied when he said he remembered nothing from his transformation to a child. He remembered everything.

 _Sesshomaru…_ he thought, _Was that really what you were like as a pup? Open, carefree, and trusting. What happened to you to make you so cold and bitter? Was it Father dying? Did his death affect you that much? Is that the reason you've always hated me? It was... nice… having a brother for a change instead of an enemy._

He continued gazing, unseeing, at the night sky. He and Sesshomaru had been enemies for as long as he could remember, though his brother's animosity had increased greatly when he learned that Tessaiga had been left to Inuyasha. He wondered idly what it would have been like if they'd grown up together. Despite his boasting that he'd defeat Sesshomaru, he had no real desire to kill him. His brother was the only family he had left. He wondered if they'd ever make peace.

######

"Lord Sesshomaru?" a small voice came. "Is something wrong?"

He spared Rin a glance from the corner of his eye. "Nothing is wrong, Rin," he assured the girl.

"Oh. Okay. Goodnight, my lord!"

"Goodnight, Rin."

As the girl settled herself by the small campfire, he turned back to looking at the starry sky. His transformation back to a pup had left him feeling unbalanced. It wasn't the transformation itself that had left him so unsettled, rather, the feelings that he didn't want to admit to that were causing him to chafe.

For a time, he and Inuyasha had actually been brothers in more than shared blood. They had recognized one another as family, had laughed and played together, completely trusting in one another, seeking comfort from each other. It was the opposite of the hostile and antagonistic relationship they currently had. Which wouldn't have bothered him except…

 _It's the relationship Father would have wanted for us._

He got up and went to Ah-Un. A few minutes later he had fixed his clothing, buckled his armor back on, and was tying his sash around his waist. He slipped Tenseiga and Tokijin through it. He moved silently to a nearby stream. Kneeling down at the edge, he scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on his face. The cold water helped him refocus and clear his mind of the intruding thoughts. He ran a hand over his face, wiping away the water from his eyes.

In the light of the moon he was able to make out his reflection on the water's surface. His silver hair was still pulled back into the high ponytail. He stared at the mirror-like surface for a long moment. Then he reached up and removed the tie, allowing his hair to fall lose around him, blocking the reflection from view. He stood, turning away from the water and brushing his hair back behind his shoulders to trail down his back.

For a brief moment, it had almost appeared as if his father had been looking up at him.

######

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the story! :)

For now it's complete. This is the original ending though I have been giving some serious thought to changing the last chapter and having it go in another direction. So there may be a revision (and several more chapters!) coming sometime in the future.


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